Katie Gardner
by sincerely- scripted
Summary: The story of Katie Gardner. Camp, training, friends, family, romance, pranks, and gardening.
1. adventures

This is the story of Katie Gardner.

It all started with a long drive and an awkward silence.

The current time was 1:30 in the afternoon, according to the clock inside the Gardner family Prius. The previous night, Katie's father decided that the two of them needed to go on what he called a 'road trip'. She was now even more confused than she was the prior evening.

"Where are we going?" The little girl asked.

"Umm, I can't tell you," her father looked frantic, he saw his daughters face fall and quickly recovered,"that would ruin the surprise! Now, go upstairs and pack your bags."

Katie never liked surprises, "if you don't tell me, how will I know what to bring along?"

Her father obviously did not know how to answer this question, whether he was unsure of what she would need or he just did not want to give away the surprise Katie did not know. "Just take whatever you think will be necessary for the rest of the summer." Then, to avoid any more questions, he gave her a little up the stairs of their house toward her bedroom.

As confused as she was, the 10-year-old followed her father's instructions and filled a bag for their 'adventure'. _The rest of the summer_, she thought, _but its only May. And it's Wednesday! Why are we leaving in the middle of the week? _ Katie barely slept that night; she stayed up thinking about the adventures that she and her dad were going to experience. You could hardly call the two of them close. With him being a big shot scientist Katie did not see much of him during the normal week. Most of the time it was just Katie, her mom Dianne, her younger sister, Jessica, and younger brother Joshua. Being the oldest out of the three by six years, she thought that this trip was going to be some sort of growing up deal and the rest of the family would be too young to join. Perhaps it was something that her grandparents did with her father when he was young. Millions of ideas swarmed her mind; many of them seemed insane but possible. Little did she know how truly insane the reality was.

The next morning, Mr. Gardner woke Katie up in a rush. He explained to her that everything was already in the car and they needed to leave by 8 o'clock. Before the pair left, Katie took one, long, last look at her home. The Gardner family lived in a subdivision just outside Charlotte, North Carolina. Their house was not necessarily large but it was not small either. Katie would later describe it as cozy. A small brick house on the corner with a wrought iron fence and the yard was almost completely surrounded by rose bushes that Katie had planted when she was a young girl. She was told that she had ADHD when she was little but some part of her mind thought the doctors were wrong. When she had worked on those rose bushes as a girl she could be outside for hours watering, weeding and making them look perfect. She could focus on it without a problem. The garden was the only place she felt secure, where she felt that she could not do anything wrong. As if knowing it would be a long time before she ever returned home Katie walked to the front of the yard and picked one of the roses.

Despite what you may be thinking Katie was happy to be going on this trip with her father. It was good to get some time with him. Once they were in the car and driving Katie attacked her dad with questions. With a short response, Mr. Gardner would end each question before Katie could receive the information that she wanted so badly. The drive became silent.

The current time was 1:30 in the afternoon, according to the clock inside the Gardner family Prius.

"Why won't you tell me where we are going?"

After a long pause her father responded, "Katie, I can't tell you that. Not yet at least."

They passed by Washington D.C. , Baltimore, and Philadelphia. Al l Katie could decipher from the GPS was that the two were headed somewhere near New York City. The time stamp in the corner of the screen let her know that they were approximately 20 minutes away from their destination.

"Katie, there is something I needed to tell you." Now shaking with excitement Katie new the answers to her questions were coming. She was quiet and waited for him to continue. "We are not really going on an adventure. Well you are but I am not." Her confusion had sky rocketed at this point. three minutes passed before he spoke again. "this place that we are going to its uh-a summer camp. For kids like you. Kids who have ADHD. I'm so sorry Katie."

"So you're just going to drop me off at some camp and leave me there?"

"Kates, it's not like that. I truly am sorry. Your mother. She wanted you to come here."

"Why didn't she come then? They didn't even say goodbye." Katie now had silent tears rolling down her cheeks. She felt betrayed and hurt by her family. It was quiet once more as Katie cried her father said nothing. He looked as though he was on the edge of tears too.

Soon their car came to a stop along the side of the road. The strip of road looked as if no one ever road on it. There were rolling hills to either side and when you stepped out of the car you could smell the ocean nearby. Her father unloaded Katie's duffle bag and backpack out of the back of the car.

He handed her the bags then grabbed Katie's shoulders and pulled her in for a hug.

"It's just for the summer, Kates. Then you can come back home if you want to." He let her go of the hug that she obviously was not interested in returning. Mr. Gardner was not going to blame her, she was _being dropped off in the middle of nowhere, and that's not even the worst part_, he thought. "Here you need to take these."he handed her two letters. Both were enclosed in an envelope. One read "Chiron" and the other addressed to "Katie". "you need to go over this hill here. You see this one with the big pine tree?" he pointed. "there is going to be a house just walk over there and someone will find you. I can't go with you. One of the directors, his name is Chiron, he will help you just hand him this letter. This other one is for you. Once you're all settled in, read it. I love you, Katie. Don't forget that."

Katie put the letters in the pocket of her jacket. Her father then went and pulled her in for one more hug and planted a kiss on her head.

"Now go on. You will have fun, I promise."

Slowly, Katie made her way up the hill by the pine tree. Once she reached the top she was amazed at what she saw. The valley was her left she saw, what she assumed was the house her dad had been talking about. It was about four stories tall, a light sky blue with a white porch and siding, reminding Katie of a beach resort. She also saw what looked like a rock wall, dining pavilion and volleyball court. Normal camp stuff. Katie did not make it very far into her observations before someone had snuck up behind her.

"Who are you?!" came a harsh voice. It was a boy from what Katie could tell. One of his arms held her by her shoulders hi other arm held a sword to her neck.

"What kind of camp is this!?" she shouted back. So far her 'summer adventure' was not going as well as she had planned. She fought to get out of the grip of the stranger. He was strong and held on to her not allowing her to move.

"Who are you?" the persistent stranger asked again.

Out of breath, Katie answered, "Katie. Katie Gardner."

"What's your purpose here?"

"Umm…I don't know, its camp right! My father, he just dropped me off here. Oh, oh, I have a letter to give to someone! His name! his name was Chiron! Yeah that's it! I can show you."

"Show me!"

"okay, okay!" Katie reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out the letters. She held up the letter to Chiron and put her letter back into the pocket. "See its right here… Can you let go of me now?"

The stranger let go of Katie's shoulders, he then used his free hand to grab the letter. He studied the envelop, then slowly dropped his sword. As soon as he gave Katie enough space, she jumped away from his grasp and turned around to look at the man who had held her hostage.

The boy could only be a year or so older than her. He was tall, with short, golden-blonde hair that was natural spiked in different directions. He was tanned and looked like he had spent most of his time in the sun but it gave him a healthy glow. His eyes were a light brown with specks of a golden yellow in them, like rays of sunlight. His sword was hanging by his side and looked too long for him to be able to use. Currently the boy was wearing cargo shorts and a bright orange shirt.

Cutting her off of her train of thought the boy asked, "So you're a half-blood then?"

The boy was looking Katie over just as she had done to him. She must not have looked like much. Katie was never considered pretty in school. She had thick, curly, dark brown hair that was pulled into a loose pony tail on her head with bangs that hooded her chocolate brown eyes. Katie wore jean shorts and a tee-shirt that read 'hug a tree'.

"I beg your pardon."

"Well, you must be or you wouldn't have got over the boundary line. Unless you're a monster. Where is your protector?"

Katie just stood there with a confused and shocked expression on her face waiting for the stranger to continue.

"Here, let me carry your bag. I will take you to Chiron." Not waiting for Katie he began to walk down the hill towards the blue house with Katie's duffle bag in hand. Deciding to take a chance on the boy, Katie ran to catch up.

"Who are you?" she questioned.

"Oh, I'm Michael." He held out a free hand, and Katie shook it. "Son of Apollo. Sorry about that back there. You see, we don't get many people just crossing the border like that. Not to mention at 8:30 at night. And without a protector is odd."

"Where am I?"

"This is Camp Half-Blood. I know it's not much of an answer but you need to talk to Chiron or Mr. before you can really understand the stuff that happens here."

"My father… he said this was a camp for kids with ADHD. What's this half-blood stuff?" they had made their way to the porch of the big house.

"Well Chiron will explain it all… he should be in here somewhere." Michael looked around.

"Was someone looking for me?" Katie and Michael turned around at the same moment to face the man who was approaching them from outside.

"Oh, hello, sir. Katie this is Chiron. Chiron this is Katie Gardner. I just found her walking across the border." Michael addressed the man. Or what Katie thought was a man. Upon closer look she noticed he had the torso of a man but was part horse.

"Well good evening, Katie Gardner. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood."

**My version of events. Rick Riordan owns PJatO.**

**sincerely- scripted**


	2. Betrayal

After almost thirty seconds, Michael noticed Katie's expression and spoke to fill the silence, "I was walking to my cabin and saw someone on the hill, Sir. I thought that she might have been Luke, but I got closer, saw that she was not and questioned her."

"And held me hostage with a sword," mumbled Katie under her breath. Chiron obviously had not heard the comment or else refused to acknowledge it because he looked thoughtful at the ground.

Michael, on the other hand, standing right next to Katie, heard every word.

Smiling, he continued, "Sir, she said that her father brought her here. Oh," suddenly remembering, Michael held out his left hand to Chiron, "she had a letter addressed to you."

Chiron looked up from his thinking position. He held out his hand out, palm up, and Michael gently places the letter in his grasp. He opened with a delicate slip of his fingers. He did not have to read much before he received all the information he needed. The activities director read the first two sentences before addressing the girl.

"Katie Gardner, you are indeed a half-blood. I am sorry, but if you will excuse me, I must finish this letter in my office. Michael, if you would be so kind, take Katie to the infirmary. I believe she will be most comfortable there for tonight. Your-"

"Forgive me, but why am I going to the infirmary? I'm not sick, am I?" Katie knew interrupting was probably not the smartest idea but she needed answers.

"No, no, child. I can assure you it's just for the night," the horse-man chuckled. "I will, personally, explain things to you in the morning."

"Why not now?"She demanded. Katie's frustration had sky-rocketed at this point. _Why can't they give me a straight answer?_, she thought, _maybe I am sick. Oh, Katie. Of course, you are just sleeping silly! How can people be part-horse and part-human? They can't! You are still in the car with your father, going on the adventure…_

"Far too much to explain, dear, but I swear we will talk over breakfast tomorrow morning. Can you trust us for one night?" Chiron looked Katie directly in the eye with such a sincere expression; it was hard to not trust him. Holding her anger in, she silently nodded to the man. Once Chiron had Katie's answer, he turned to directly face Michael. "Your actions this evening proved your bravery and loyalty to this camp. I thank you. Now, if it is not too much to ask, please, take Katie to a bed in the infirmary. We would not want to wake any of the campers at this hour."

With the horse-man's head turned, Katie shot Michael a 'you-are going- to-explain-everything-to-me' look.

Michael saw the look and understood. He locked Katie's eyes and gave a curt nod. To cover up the silent conversation, the blond boy answered solemnly, "right away sir." Michael picked up Katie's bag in one hand; he put his other on her back and guided her down the hall.

As they walked, Katie opened her mouth to interrogate the boy, but Michael, knowing the centaur could still hear the couple, covered her words.

"The Infirmary is just down here," he told her. "No one is in her tonight. You should be comfortable enough for one night." They had reached the end of the hall and turned into a large room.

The room wasn't really a room at all; it was more of a hall actually. The infirmary held eight empty cots, four on each side. It had a high ceiling with two skylights and windows on two walls. One looked out over a lake on one side and a forest on the other. The room was stocked with every medical instrument that Katie could imagine and a few that she did not recognize. Michael set the girls bag on a cot at the end of the hall that gave her a view out of the windows.

"Best view in the house. You should be comfortable here for one night. We will get this all sorted out tomorrow. "

"Tomorrow!" Katie said in a harsh whisper. "You will tell me what is going on right now!"

Michael stood up about to leave and avoid the conversation, "I really shouldn't. Chiron will explain everything in the morni-"

"You expect me to spend the night here knowing nothing!"

"Okay, Okay. Look. The bathroom is through that door right over there," Michael pointed to a door in the middle of the wall opposite the one with windows. "Go get ready for bed. I will run and grab you a more comfortable blanket. These hospital ones are terrible." He turned around walked to the door.

"You promise?"

He turned around, looked her straight in the eye, "promise", he said, and walked out the door.

Though she only knew the kid for 20 minutes, Katie trusted Michael. She picked up her bag and walked to the door that Michael had indicated previously. Looking inside the bag, Katie felt as if she was at home again. She grabbed out her green pajama pants and a tank top, then pulled them on her body. Katie proceeded to brush her teeth and braid her long hair back for the night.

Glancing in the mirror Katie reassured herself that everything was going to be alright. _He'll come back_, she thought, _he has to. He promised. We will get this all straightened out._

Hastily, she crammed her worn clothed back into the bag and hurried out the door only to find that Michael was already there. He had placed another blanket at the bottom of the bed; he also brought over a chair for himself to sit on. Michael was standing over by the windows gazing thoughtfully at the grounds. Kaite det her bag down next to her assigned bed and walked over to meet the boy.

"What are you looking at?"she asked curiously.

"It looks different at night." Michael replied. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Katie's eyes squint trying to see what he was looking at in the dark. "The camp I mean. More peaceful but scarier at the same time."

Katie had a hard time seeing what Michael saw. She saw the outlines of building down the hill. There looked to be about twelve of them. Each one lit up by a small yellow light on the path to the door. She also saw some smaller buildings separated on the grounds, they also had lights but not enough for Katie to tell what the building was. There was a lake, the water reflected the moon making it easy to see. With calm waves and a dock that had a few canoes roped to it, the lake did not look out of the ordinary. She saw what he meant. Everything did seem peaceful here, but the shadows gave it a eerie look. Like one of those horror movies that Katie hated. Everything would get calm and quiet and that's when the madman with an ax jumped from behind the bushes.

"Is this real?" Katie whispered. "Or am I dreaming?"

Michael responded with a barely audible, "Yes." The pair stayed staring out the window

"But this can't be." Her voice was slowly getting louder. "Centaurs aren't real! Where in the world would a sane person give a sword to a kid. You could have killed me!"

"Yeah, I guess I could have killed you," he admitted running his hands through his a hair. Then gaining his confidence back, "Here they teach you how to use the weapons to protect yourself. You will learn. Me, I usually go for a bow and arrow but the sword was the closest thing to me."

"What kind of camp is this place!?"She nearly screamed. "I thought it was for kids with ADHD. That's what my father told me."

"It's Camp half-blood. You know the Greek gods? Aphrodite, Zeus, Apollo. "she nodded. "They're still here. They still exist in the world."

"But they're like hundreds of years old. And they're myths? What do you mean they 'still exist'?"

"They never went away. Their power moved with world power, you see. And-"

"How do you expect me to believe this? Are you crazy or something?!"Katie yelled. Her expression was filled with frustration. Thinking that Greek gods are still around in the world seemed like something from a bedtime story to her. Michael led Katie by the elbow back over to the bed she would spnd the night in.

"I know it's weird at first. It seems impossible but you have to believe me," he said.

Katie pondered the thought, "okay, so say I was to believe that's these _gods_ are still around. What do they have to do with me?"

"You and I, we're demigods." Michael said the words as if they were the best thing in the world and would explain everything. He saw Katie's confused look and continued. "You're part Greek god Katie. One of your parents is a god of Olympus."

"No, I have two parents. You're not saying…?"

"I'm sorry Katie."


	3. Bloom

Betrayed.

That is how Katie felt.

Michael had left her in the infirmary for the night. She wanted to know what was happening but she did not imagine that it would hurt this bad. One of her parents was not her biological parent. Both of them had been lying to her for the past ten years.

Katie laid on the flimsy mattress and stared at the ceiling while silent tears rolled down her cheeks. How was she supposed to take this information? The two people who she had trusted the most in the world turned out to be hiding the biggest secret of all. Suddenly remembering, the little girl sat up and felt her way to the end of the bed and then to her bag. In the side pocket of the bag she found the letter that her father had given to her earlier that night.

She reached back to the side table that held a lamp and turned on the light. Slowly, Katie rested her head against the headboard and opened the envelope. She read.

It was not an outrageously long letter, about a page in her father's scribbled cursive writing. He started out by telling Katie the truth. He told her that Dianne was not her real mother. He could not say who her mother really was but hoped that Katie would soon find out. The letter said that she was eventually supposed to come to the camp but it was not supposed to happen for another year or so. He wrote that something that had happened to her at school pushed him to send her here. The rest of the sentences were meaningless to Katie. He kept going on saying that he loved her and that he was sorry. She was able to come home if she wanted to; of course it had to be when the summer was over.

The sadness Katie felt before was now replaced with anger. She was lied to, then dropped off in the middle of nowhere at night with a letter that was supposed to explain everything. Her "parents" didn't even have the decency to tell her in person. And saying she could come home at the end of the summer. What was that! It was like saying, "we still love you, come back in four months!"

Somehow, in all her built up frustration, Katie feel asleep. She woke up as the sun was rising the next morning. Unsure of when, or where for that matter, breakfast was, she grabbed her bag and walked to the bathroom to get ready. Looking in the mirror she saw the mess that she was. Katie had red puffy bags around her eyes courtesy of crying and lack of sleep, and her hair was knotted everywhere. After changing her clothes and brushing her hair and teeth, Katie decided that was as good as her look was going to get, and walked out of the room back to her bed.

To Katie's surprise, just as she sat her bag down on the pathetic excuse for a bed, Michael walked into the room.

"Oh! Hey! I didn't think you would be ready yet" he told her. "I was coming to tell you that breakfast is in twenty minutes."

Not wanting him to see her eyes, she turned her head to the side and replied, "oh-okay, thanks Michael." Unfortunately, that was not enough. He saw.

"'Are you alright?" He asked. Michael didn't have to wait for her to respond, he laughed at himself because he already knew the answer. "I know, I know, of course you're not alright." Katie looked up to the smiling face of the boy next to her. Something about the way he laughed answering his own question brought a grin to the little girls face. "Come on, we will go down early." He held out his hand. She took and they walked out of the infirmary together.

They walked down the hall, to the door by which they had entered the building the previous night. Instead of going out to the grounds they turned on the white porch that wrapped around the big house. In the corner there was a small table set up with five chairs around it.

Curious, Katie asked, "This is where you guys eat breakfast? Must be a small camp."

"No no," Michael laughed. "Campers eat at the dinning pavilion down the hill. Our directors, who live in the big house, eat breakfast and lunch here. Then, they come down for dinner every night. Chiron and Mr. D invited you here for breakfast this morning. It's just a standard welcome-orientation thing that they do to all new campers. Usually your protector would be here with you but since you came here without one I thought I would come. I mean, as long as that's alright with you! I can leave if you don't want me here! It's just that, I thought you might want to have someone with you that you knew."

"Actually," Katie said, "that's really sweet. Thank you."

"So you want me to stay?"

"Of course I do! You could be my own special kind of protector. " She laughed.

"Katie Gardner, I would be honored to be your stand in protector," Michael tried to hold a serious face but had to smile when at Katie's laughter.

"Just no more of that "sneak up behind me then hold a sword to my neck thing", deal?" she held out her hand for him to shake. Which Michael returned with a firm grip.

"Deal."

"Do you promise?" She bent forward, looked him straight in the eyes and pulled the clasped hands closer to her.

Michael leaned forward, "promise." With an agreement made, they began to laugh again.

"Well, Miss. Gardner," interrupted Chiron rolling out of the house in a wheelchair. Hearing the man, the two kids pulled apart and sat up straight in their seats. "It's nice to see you on this lovely morning. Oh, and Mr. Yew, what a pleasant surprise, will you be joining us for breakfast?"

"Yes sir, if that is alright with you? Katie did not come with a protector watching her. Since I found her, I thought could assist in her introduction to the camp."

"That's a very generous thing for you to do. Of course you may join us. Unfortunately, it will only be the three of us. Mr. D was called out to the strawberry fields this morning. We weren't quite prepared for growing season this year, I'm afraid."

Michael stood up and removed one of the chairs from the table to make it accessible to Chiron. There was a light breeze and as if by magic the plates were filled. There was a fruit basket in the center of the table as well as muffins and a pitcher or ice tea.

"Now, Katie, I read in the letter that something happened at school. In a science class, and there was something with the plants. Your teacher called your father. That's how you ended up here."

Katie thought about it for a minute, she could not remember anything crazy happening.

"Well there was this one experiment. We were studying the growth of the sunflower seeds we had. I don't know, some of the other kids in my group said that when I was talking that the flowers all turned to face me. I never noticed. I thought they were all insane…was that it? It's not like I did anything on purpose!" her voice was growing louder with every word.

Chiron gently put a hand on her shoulder, "it may be. But we can not overreact. One day you were bound to end up here." He let out a deep breath and let his arm drop. "Now, I have a slight idea as to who your mother is but I cannot say anything."

"My father said the same thing. Why can't you?" she asked.

After taking a bite out of his blueberry muffin he answered, "Every godly parent must claim their child. That's the way things have been going on for years."

"And if she doesn't claim me?"

"There are demigods who have never been claimed but you can't worry about that. It does not make you different from everyone else. We are all demigods one way or another."

The trio ate for another ten minutes together. They talked more about the claiming process. Katie learned that your godly parent determined where you would stay on the grounds. If you were unclaimed, then you would stay with another cabin, the Hermes cabin. She also learned that they had different classes that each camper was required to take. Some taught by cabin leaders, others by satyrs, and some by Chiron. As if this was his reminder, Chiron excused himself to go to class and stood up, out of his wheelchair into his full centaur self. He suggested that Katie follow Michael and his cabin around to their classes for the day.

"But sir, shouldn't she go with the rest of the unclaimed for the day?" Michael asked.

"Wow, protector, trying to get rid of me already?" Katie looked at Michael and replied sharply before Chiron could respond to the question.

"I have a feeling," Chiron said looking to the sky, "that Katie will not be unclaimed for long."

Michael's face had a look of disbelief. His jaw had dropped. Chiron, their leader, not going by the rules, it was madness.

"You," he looked to Katie, "must be something really special. Not having to go with the unclaimed, wish I was that lucky."

His statement confused Katie. They just had a talk about how it was not bad to be unclaimed but now Michael was saying she was lucky she didn't have to be with them.

"Well, excuse me. I am unclaimed. Am I that bad to be with?" she questioned.

"No, they're not bad people!" Michael answered waving his hands around to help prove his point. "It's just that, some of them have been there a while and, well, they get angry and jealous sometimes. They will never admit it of course." Michael looked at his plate, embarrassed by his words. From a far off distance, a horn blew. "Come on, that's the signal, it means breakfast is over now." He stood up and Katie followed.

"What's first on the schedule?"

"Archery." He said the word like it was the best thing in the world.

"I take it you like the subject."

"I'm an Apollo kid. This is what I do best."

They continued to walk a ways till they reached an open field with a few targets scattered around. There were already other campers there. They waved at Michael but then saw Katie and a confused expression crossed their faces. Katie immediately felt self conscious and stopped abruptly.

"I can't do it," she said and turned around ready to walk back to the big house. Michael caught her by the arm thought before she could make a break for it.

"Whoa, there, where do you think you are going?"

"I can't do it. They are all staring."

"They're just confused as to why you are here." Michael assured her. "I will go talk to Adam. He's our cabin leader. I'll tell him what's going on. Just stay here. Uhh..." Michael looked around. "Will! Can you come over here for a second?"

Michael let go of Katie's arm so she could turn around. The boy who Katie guessed to be Will was jogging over to their spot. He looked like Michael did only he had shorter hair.

"Katie Gardner, meet Will Solace." Michael introduced. "Will this is Katie, the girl I was telling you about last night."

"It hasn't even been a day and you're already gossiping about me?" Katie playfully said turning to glare at Michael, while he held his hands up in defense.

"It was all good things, I can assure you," Will announced to save his half-brother. He held out his hand to the girl. "It's nice to meet you." Katie reached her hand out to finish the handshake and smiled at the boy.

"Katie is still unclaimed but Chiron suggested she follow around the Apollo cabin for the day. I am just going to go tell Adam. I need you to keep an eye on her for me. She's a runner, this one." Michael began to walk away. After about four steps he pivoted around, walking backwards now and laughing at his thoughts, he continued, "You guys have a lot in common, who knows?"

Once Michael was out of earshot, Katie asked, "Is he always so happy?"

"Most of the time, yes," Will said. "A lot of people are happy here. You will be to. Once you accept it."

"Accepting it is the hardest part."

They talked for a few minutes about Will's life at the camp before Michael came running back. He returned carrying his bow with a few arrows secured on his back he also held out another bow for Katie.

"I think I should just watch today. Being a newbie and all," Katie was reluctant to accept the object that the boy was holding for her. She would not tell anyone but the truth was Katie was scared of it. This thing could cause harm to something or someone and she was scared.

"Come on, you are going to have to try eventually. Take the bow," Michael demanded.

She did not want to let her new friends down or look weak. Katie reached out and grabbed the bow before they could see her hands shaking. And both boys smiled.

"Good," Michael smiled, "now we…" Katie didn't hear the rest of what Michael said because he was walking away to find a target to start teaching at, leaving Katie there shaking her head in laughter.

"You'll do fine, it's not that scary," whispered the other boy into her ear, causing Katie to turn in shock.

"I'm not scared," she refuted.

"Oh, really!"

"Just you watch!" Katie ran off to where Michael was standing ready to start.

One hour later the lesson was over. Katie was not as bad a shot as she thought she would be. With some practice, Michael said a bow could become her weapon of choice. The next class, to attend made Katie feel right at home. The Apollo cabin was being sent over to help out in the strawberry fields.

"I have to warn you," Michael said as they walked into the fields, "we Apollo kids usually begin to sing while we work."

Katie laughed, "Is that supposed to scare me away?"

"No-no, it's just a warning. The cabin leader for the Demeter cabin, her name is Olivia; she stays out here all day. She does not like it when the Apollo cabin comes in the morning because we sing and get a song stuck in her head all day." Michael led Katie over to a shed that looked like the size of a barn. The shed was on top of a hill that gave a fantastic view of the strawberry fields. Inside held every gardening tool imaginable.

There was a small shriek from the back of the room followed by a loud clang. Michael ran to the back without thinking twice, Katie trailed him. They didn't reach the back before the girl from which the shriek came from stumbled out into the open. She was an African American girl probably around the age of 18. She was tall, lean wearing shorts and an orange camp half blood shirt that she had tied up to show part of her stomach. Her hair was black and in a high bun on top of her head.

"I'm okay!" she yelled out as she steadied herself. The girl looked up and saw the wide-eyed pair walking over to help. "Oh, hi there! Didn't realize people were in here." The girl walked back to where she had stumbled. Soon she came out carrying buckets filled with tools. "Here," she said, handing the tools over to the pair, "Michael, could you please take these out."

"No problem, Olivia," he responded and walked out of the shed.

"Anything I can do to help?" Katie asked. The girl, Olivia, had gone behind another stack of tools.

"Sure!" Olivia exclaimed as if it was the first time anyone had offered to help. "You can bring out some more tools." The girl came back with a handful of tools for Katie as well as herself. "You new here? I haven't seen you around before?"

"Yeah, I just got here last night."

"Welcome to Camp Half-Blood. I'm Olivia, Daughter of Demeter, head counselor of Cabin Four. I would shake your hand if mine weren't full."

"Katie Gardner, godly-parent unknown."

"An unclaimed, really? Why you with the Apollo cabin?"

"To be honest, I have n idea, Chiron's orders." Katie was starting to get sick of hearing this.

"Hmm, interesting," was Olivia's response, "never heard of that happening before." she thought for a moment unsure of whether to say more.

Wanting to get out of the "claiming" conversation, Katie changed the subject.

"So, what are we doing out here today?" Katie asked.

"Today the Apollo cabin is going to be tying up the vine. Being the offspring of a healer we can trust them to be careful and they will the loose vines to the posts. Since I am the head counselor for Demeter, I get to be here all day and supervise. I usually walk around, hand out water, help out campers and plants if necessary. Today being your first day you can shadow me if you like." Olivia leaned in closer to Katie to whisper, "I can give you the low down on how things are here." she said with a wink.

They had reached their destination now, and set the tools down. The Apollo cabin members had slowly trickled in and were standing around ready for instructions. Olivia gave out tools and directions then sent the campers on their ways.

The girls walked through the fields for a bit just chatting about general information. Olivia asked about Katie's life at school and home, and what bought her to camp. Katie assumed Olivia was just trying to figure out who her parent was but played along anyway. She failed to mention, however, the accusations of her so called "Flower-Power".

"Oh no," Olivia groaned.

"What?" Katie asked worried.

"Their singing," she said seething through her teeth.

Katie just laughed. It's not that the singing was bad. It was actually really good. But when seventeen different campers were singing different songs, one of them was bound to stick.

"I can see how that can be annoying," Katie admitted and they continued on their way.

Some twenty minutes later the field was just about done being worked on by the Apollo campers. Olivia decided it would be a good idea to get some water because "her babies look thirsty", so they walked up to the shed again. Katie followed; she stood outside the shed though Olivia grabbed two watering cans from the back. .

Outside the barn-like structure were small window bow gardens filled with daisies. Katie observed the flowers. They were all so small and fragile looking but still beautiful in their own way. She noticed one in the back of the box of dirt. It had not blossomed yet. Katie felt like the bud. She had come to camp but did not seem to be part of it yet. Katie had not bloomed or become who she was supposed to be.

Katie looked over her shoulders for anyone behind her. If she was going to test her power, she did not want to be seen.

_I must be crazy_, she thought.

Slowly, her right hand raised directly above the flower.

"Come on little guy," she whispered. "You can do it."

The flower bloomed. It was magic before the girl's eyes. She could not believe it had actually worked. A huge smile overtook her face and there was a tingle in her hands. Then she heard footsteps.

"Kat-Oh my gods!" yelled Olivia as she came out of the barn.

Katie pulled her hands behind her back, "I didn't do anything!"

Olivia was not looking at Katie though she was looking at the spot over her head. "Sister!" she exclaimed.

"What are you talking about? I was just standing here."

"No-No, Katie, you've been claimed," she pointed above Katie's head. "It's Demeter! We're sisters!"


	4. Home

Her mother had claimed her. The pieces of the puzzle were coming together.

The first thing Katie felt, relief. She had heard of some campers who never find out who their godly parent was. Some part of Katie wished that she didn't know who her real mother was. Her parents back in North Carolina had lied to her. She didn't want to have another parent hide the truth.

Olivia decided that they would wait until the hour was up, in another fifteen minutes and the campers would be dismissed, before going to the Big House. Until then they continued to walk around the strawberry fields and help. Katie did not know whether or not Olivia saw what Katie had done with the daisy, but decided not to bring it up. She was new and did not want to bring more attention on herself.

The thing about Olivia, she could talk for hours before needing to take a breath. While walking around, Olivia continued to talk but now she could focus on what happened inside the Demeter Cabin. Katie did not mind. She nodded and smiled along. The more Olivia talked about the six other campers in the cabin, the more nervous Katie got about fitting in.

When the hour was finished the Apollo campers filed into the gardening shed to return their tools. As they returned the supplies, the chatted endlessly about their free time coming up in the next few minutes.

"Hey Katie!" someone had snuck up behind her when she was putting the watering cans back on the shelf. She turned to find the boy previously introduced to her, Will, standing behind her.

"Hey Will. What's going on?" she inquired.

"Apollo cabin has their free hour next. Michael is going to help Adam over at Archery. They have the Hermes cabin next. So he asked if I would be willing to show you around camp since you never got a proper tour."

"Oh thanks Will. That's nice of you to give up your free time," he shrugged and looked like he wanted to say something but Katie kept talking. "But, Olivia is going to take me up to the big house. I was claimed a little while ago."

"Really? By who?" Will asked.

"I am now officially a daughter of Demeter."

"Wow Katie!" his face lit up. "That's amazing! I-" Will was interrupted by someone walking into the shed.

"Katie! You in here!?" Olivia yelled from the door way.

"Yes!" Katie shouted back. She placed the last can on the shelf. "I'll see you later Will."

"Yeah, see you. And congratulations Katie."

"Thanks." She turned to walk to the door. Katie saw Olivia impatiently tapping her foot with her arms crossed.

"Come-on slowpoke." She chided then lightened up. "We have so much to do!"

The walk to the Big House did not take nearly as long as Katie had hoped it would. They met Chiron on the front steps. He was in full horse form and did not need them to talk because he already knew why they were there. Chiron told her to go in and grab her things then Olivia could show her to their cabin.

With the help of Olivia, Katie got her bags from where she had left them in the infirmary. Olivia led her down the hill from the big house toward the rows of buildings Katie had seen the previous night. There were twelve of them in a U formation around a plaza type area. All of them different in so many ways; one was bright red, another a golden color.

"Each cabin represents a different godly parent. We are in Cabin Four, down on the end." Olivia informed.

Together they walked down the middle of the courtyard. Before they reached the end, Olivia stopped

"This is it."

Katie's draw dropped. The cabin was like nothing she had ever seen before. It was like a picturesque storybook cottage. With a small wooden porch steps leading to the door that were covered with flowers like none Katie had ever seen. The brick façade was covered with thick vines that created a maze up to the roof that was lines with the greenest grass. Along both sides were small vegetable gardens. If Katie had to choose which cabin to live in, this would be her pick. Nothing too flashy. Just a warm and cozy dwelling.

After giving Katie sometime to gape at the building, Olivia walked up the stairs toward the screen door. At the top of the stairs she turned around and motioned for Katie to follow.

The door creaked as Olivia opened it. The inside was just as wonderful as the outside was. The room held eleven beds, five on each side creating a walkway down the middle to the one at the end. In between each bed was a small window and nightstand. Campers had hung up pictures and posters to personalize their own space. Only a few of the beds seemed to be getting regular use.

"The others will be back soon." Olivia said pulling Katie out of her observation. "Here, you can take this bed." She pointed to the bed just to the right of the door. "We don't have many campers here in this cabin compared to some of the others. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing for you. We will be even smaller after this summer."

"Why?"

"You are the first to know this so don't tell anyone but I'm not going to stay year round next year. I'm going to go out into the real world and start my life. "

"How long have you been at Camp?"

"It's been five years. My protector brought me to camp when I was thirteen."

"Oh, my. And you have been in the camp this entire time?" Katie was only eleven now. She wondered if she would be here the rest of her teen years as well. It seemed like forever to her little mind. But, her family had lied to her, and as of now she did not want to go back to them. This place did seem like a nice home. She had already made some new friends here, as well as found a new family. How bad could it be living here?

"No, I have been out in the world. But, it was never longer than a few weeks. Somehow I always find my way back here. I am not the only one who is going to be leaving though. For two of other Demeter children, this will be their last year."Olivia's face became somber as she talked about the thought of her departure and her friends leaving.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you guy were trying to get away from me," Katie joked trying to lighten the mood. It worked because Olivia began laughing.

The 18-year-olds mood instantly lightened. The pair stopped talking about the thought of leaving and began to work on getting Katie's bed set up.

Each camper received their own bunk in the cabin. Along with the bed they got a trunk at the foot of their bed, a bedside table and window. Katie had not brought much, as she believed she would be traveling across the country for a few weeks instead of living in a cabin the rest of the summer. Unpacking did not take long. Just as they had finished putting everything away they heard people approaching the cabin.

The creak of the screen door indicated their entrance,so did their yelling.

There were two of them a boy and a girl. The boy was tall, tan, Katie guessed him to be around the age of fifteen, he had chocolate brown hair shining with sweat being held back by a green bandana, brown eyes to match, and a square jaw. He was handsome. The girl was shorter than him by around three inches, but her voice coming in the door proved that those inches were not a problem. She had more of a golden eye color that helped with intimidation. Her hair was brown as well but it had a lighter tone with golden highlights and was braided down the back of her head. They argued as they walked into the cabin.

"I so won!" the girl yelled.  
"No! I won! They called the fighting to stop!" he yelled back.

"Hey guys," Olivia acknowledged them, "this is-." obliviously the two kept walking to their designated bunks, arguing the entire time and ignoring the two girls. "Guys!" she yelled louder. The two did not even turn in her direction. Olivia walked over to the boy and girl attempting to break them apart and yelled again, "Jaz! Riley!"

They didn't stop fighting but now acknowledged that Olivia was there. The couple turned to here and tried to explain themselves. They talked at the same time however, and Olivia could not understand what they were saying. She threw her hands up in frustration.

"Seriously stop fighting. Is this really how you want to introduce yourself to your new sister?" she stomped her foot. "I am sorry you had to see that Katie?" she turned to the little girl and then back to the pair. "This is Katie Gardner. She was just claimed an hour or so ago. Welcome her, please." She then added in a motherly tone, "and be nice to each other. You would think you guys were children of Ares. Gods."

The tall boy walked over first. "Hi", he said, "Riley Wells." He held out his hand.

Katie returned the hand shake.

"Katie," she replied.

"That's Jasmine-"

"Jaz!" the girl interrupted from her bed on the other side of the room. She was lying on her stomach with a book in front of her nose, scribbling fiercely.

"Sorry," Riley continued. "That's _Jaz _Rockford." He leaned in to whisper in Katie's ear, "She is kind of the thorn of this cabin, if you know what I mean."

Katie suppressed a giggle.

"Okay guys we have twenty minutes until lunch," Olivia announced. "Get cleaned up."

The girl, Jaz, grabbed a fresh shirt and claimed the bathroom in the back of the cabin. Riley, announced he was going off to the showers. While they were away, Olivia did a check of the plants inside the cabin then did the same outside.

Katie surveyed the individual bunks in the room. The only ones in use were the three that belonged to her siblings and her own. The others had pictures around their headboards but were covered in a thin layer of dust. She walked by each of them. She saw Olivia had hung up a poster of some romance movie Katie had heard of but never seen. Next to the bed was a vase filled with beautiful soft pink colors.

On the other side was Riley's. His was not covered with flowers or anything girly like that. Katie saw a signed photograph a basketball player she didn't know. On the nightstand were postcards from all over the country. They were all neatly stacked and preserved inside a Ziploc bag.

Katie moved passed a few other dusty mattresses until she reached the far corner of the room. Jaz's bed. Nothing frilly about this Demeter girl. Her bed was unmade, clothes spilling out of the trunk at foot, pencils lying on the table. Lying square on the pillow was a journal. A simple brown leather book. It looked well worn. Pages bent and wrinkled so much the cover could not lay flat. Just sitting there, begging to be looked at. Katie was tempted. She remembered the intense look on Jaz's face when she was scrawled onto the pages.

Katie couldn't resist any longer. She reached out for the journal.

Not before a sword can down over her hand.

"Do not touch," an aggravated voice growled at her. Jaz had come out of the restroom.

Katie slowly lifted her figures off of the book, and looked over the bed to the mysterious girl.

"You're new here, so I'll let you off easy," she glared. "You should learn soon, don't mess with me or any of my things."

Jaz had shifted her sword over so that it was pointed directly at Katie's face.

"Sorry," the girl responded.

There was a stomping from outside. Someone was walking up the stairs. Jaz lowered the sword and Katie turned to see, a clean Riley walk through the screen door.

He didn't notice the girls' position around Jaz's bed. Shortly behind him Olivia walked in.

"C'mon, guys," she sang. "It's lunch time."

On the way to the dining pavilion, Olivia explained how lunch worked around here. Katie understood. She thought the idea of burning food for the gods was a little strange but went along with it. Everything about this place was a little strange. But this was Katie's home now. She would have to be okay with the strange rituals. Throw part of your meal into flames. Why not?

They made their way up the stairs to a large space filled with tables. To call it a building would not have been right. There was no ceiling. Columns surrounded the sides of a large cemented piece of land. Picnic tables of different sizes were scattered around the space. There was a long table in the front. It was raised and only had seats on one side. There were only five seats that Katie could see. She could tell almost instantly that this would be were their leaders would be sitting.

The four sat down at a table near the front.

"Where is everyone else?" Katie asked.

"We come in, in the order of cabin numbers," Riley explained from his spot next to her. "Since there is no one living in Cabins One through Three, Four gets to come in first."

"Oh," Katie responded with a nod of her head.

She saw another cabin making their way up the stairs now. Five or six kids, of just about every age, all of them looked like a mess. Like they didn't care how they looked to anyone else. Katie could only describe them as what you would imagine a school bully to look like. They were still in their armor, and had their weapons at the ready.

"That's the Ares cabin," Riley tipped.

Another group strolled in behind them. They were being led by a small girl around Katie's size with curly, sandy-blonde hair. All of them had grey eyes that could stop traffic. They weren't as scary as the group in front of them was but still they were very intimidating.

"Athena."

Katie recognized the next group. She had spent most of her morning with them, Apollo cabin. She saw, Will waved to her. Michael was also in the group towards the front next to Adam.

Behind them a group of kids just as burly as the Ares cabin, all of them covered in some sort of sludge.

"No one lives in the Artemis Cabin, so they are skipped. That's Cabin Nine, Hephaestus. And behind them, that's the Aphrodite cabin."

Sure enough, just after the sludge monsters walked in, a huge group of children of all ages walked in. every girl looked like a Barbie doll with their hair and makeup done just the right way, while every guy had that rugged handsome look that you thought only actors could have. They were all so perfect looking that you couldn't help but slink back into your chair and feel self-conscious.

"Don't go near them if you like the way you look right now," Jaz chimed in. "They're always looking for a new makeover subject. Take it from me, it's not fun."

Riley laughed and went on to tease Jaz about how good she looked in the pink mini skirt, who in turn glared daggers into him. Something about the look made Katie think that Riley would pay for his comment soon.

Katie looked to Olivia to help. Olivia, however, was not paying any attention to the pair. She stared off at the entrance to the pavilion.

"Olivia," Katie tapped her arm, "you okay?"

"yeah-yeah, I'm fine," she shrugged the little girl off without taking her eyes off the entrance.

"Don't worry about her," Riley advised. "She's just looking to see if Luke is back."

"No, I'm not."Olivia snapped quickly. She stretched her neck to see the next group come in.

Katie looked too. The amount of campers in the group made up at least a third of the amount at the entire camp. Unlike the other groups, none of these kids looked like they belonged together. No family resemblance at all. One boy stood out to her among all the rest. He looked around her age. A mess of curly brown hair hung across his forehead and framed his piercing blue eyes.

He took notice of her first. And stared, intrigued. A small smile formed on his lips like he knew some secret about her. Katie watched the boy as he walked to his table. He sat down before looking back up to meet her gaze. She never like secrets or surprises or tricks and this boy looked like three. She immediately marked his face in her mind as a person not to be affiliated with. Katie jumped back into the conversation with her table forgetting about the strange boy.

They talked and ate without any problems. Katie felt that even though she only knew them a few hours she could trust her siblings. She had not even been here a full day but already she had made some of the best friends she could imagine. But she guessed that was how you knew where you belonged in the world. Where you felt the most comfortable. And she did feel comfortable here. Once you get used to the gods thing, it wasn't that bad.

It was as warm and welcoming as any home could be.

* * *

Thank you for the reviews!

Just a few things I should mention:

1. I do not have loads of time to write so these updates wil be kind of random. Just think of them as surprise presents from me to you!

2. I have plans for Katie, but how she gets there i usually do not know until I begin writing. Suggestions are always welcome!

3. The story is going to follow Katie around. I have this idea that i should do little side stories from other character point of views. (Ex. Michael's first reaction to meeting Katie.) Would you guys read that? Where should I put them? As seperate one-shots, that I can just give you a link to, or as a story and upload the side-views as different chapters?

4. I have different inspirations for what write about. I will try to get links up so y'all can see. I just thought I would tell you so if there is a link you know what it is.

* * *

Inspiration:

watch?v=2cKNleDdUFY

* * *

My version of events. Rick Riordan owns PJatO.


	5. Impressions

Days passed by since that lunch. Katie grew used to her cabin mates.

Riley was that one kid you had in every class. The friendly one, who was always talking, and always seemed to care. Katie learned that he had just come to camp around Christmas time. His dad was a nature photographer that traveled the world. At fifteen, Riley had already lived long without any monster attacks. One day while traveling up in Canada, some events happened that could not be explained. And it convinced Riley's father that it was time to admit the truth.

While Riley was more than welcoming to Katie's arrival, Jaz needed to warm up to her new "sister". She was not a bully but more of the angry, older sister that you did not want to mess with. Being talkative seemed like a popular characteristic among the Demeter cabin; Jaz however, gave it an angry edge. Most of what she talked about was ranting or teasing for someone's pain. Katie had not yet uncovered the mysteries of the journal. She still saw Jaz scratching harshly into its pages but Katie had not gained the courage to ask the questions.

Olivia was the protective sister Katie never had, who felt the need to show her everything that her first day at camp. She had the "talking gene" as well and jabbered constantly no matter if someone was listening or not. Sometimes it was the plants she talked to. She would give them words of encouragement while watering or mending them. Katie noticed this after working those many hours in the garden.

Unlike Katie's power to move plants at her will, Olivia and the others could only make them grow. That's it. They could speed up their growth, although it was not advisable when they were trying to sell the strawberries that they grew. Katie had experimented in her private time, when she got it. She would check just to make sure she wasn't losing her mind. Katie could grow plants like the others, but she could also make them do her bidding. They would go wherever she told them to, move how she said, and perform tasks that you could not imagine.

After a week at camp she had met a few of the other campers but most were still unknown to her.

Whenever she had time away from her new family or the fields or training, Katie hung out with Will.

Will was probably her closest friend at camp. He was relatively new as well. He lived in Florida with his mom up until last November when she died. He never went into details with Katie. She saw the sadness in his eyes when she first asked and decided not to bring it up again. The pair met almost every day during their free time; they also had many lessons shared together. It was nice having someone outside her cabin mates to talk to. They told stories about their families back home. Both of them missed it terrible but had no wish to return because of the pain it would cause.

Will was the only one who knew Katie's secret power. She showed him one day while they sat on the sand dune by the beach.

It was free period; they had one hour left until they needed to meet with their cabins before dinner. Will's was telling the story of when he got up in front of his class and read a poem to his first crush. He still remembered what he wrote word for word. It was the most cheesy love poem an 8-year-old could write. Katie fell backwards on the dune, laughing once he finished. Will's cheeks turned a rosy red.

"Ohh," Katie cooed, "you're blushing!"

"Okay, okay, that's enough," Will grabbed her hand and pulled her back up trying to end his embarrassment. "What about you? Do not tell me you never had a crush that you embarrassed yourself in front of."

"Nope, I am more of a shy, love silently from the sidelines, kind of girl." Katie confessed.

"I know that I have known you for a few days now but I have a feeling you're going to be just as loud as those other crazies in your cabin." He nodded in the direction of the cabins. "Trust me. No one here is shy."

Katie smiled to herself. The longer she was here, the more like herself she felt. It was comforting to know that maybe she could come into her own.

"I'm starving. How can they expect me to run around training all day and then sit around for an hour and wait to get something to eat? I should see if the Hermes cabin got any more mortal food in." he stopped and thought for a moment. " Do you think you could help me sneak into the fields and get some strawberries?"

"Uh-uh!" She wagged her finger. "No way! Do you know how long it takes to grow those?" she yelled and pulled her arms across her chest.

"Oh, c'mon, you have those special flowers-help-grow-powers." Will complained.

This gave Katie an idea. She was worried, but it was Will. He was her friend.

"Okay, you're hungry? I think I might be able to help. But you have to swear no to tell anyone?"

"I swear, I swear." He practically jumped out of the spot he was sitting. "Where's the food?"

Katie shifted her place. She moved her legs around so they were under her, sitting on her calves. She bent her head down. Her hands were in front of her, about six inches apart, hovering above the ground. Her eyes closed. Katie focused on what she wanted. Soon she felt a tingle in her finger tips.

Her eyes shot open. There in the space she was focusing on, a flower was blooming.

A sunflower.

"Holy Ophiotaurus," Will whispered.

She turned to look at him now. He could not take his eyes off the flower.

"I didn't know you Demeter kids could do that sort of thing?"

"None of the others can, that's why you can't tell anyone. They don't know that I can either." She admitted. "I hope you like sunflower seeds."

A smile touched his face.

"Who doesn't? C'mon."

Will stood up and then reached down to pick up the flower. He motioned for Katie to follow. The pair walked to the edge of the beach. For the rest of the hour they told more stories, picked seeds, washed the in the ocean, then popped them in their mouths.

When the horn sounded, they went back to their cabins, and promised to meet up again at the campfire that night.

They never got the chance.

As the campers all made their way down, with their cabins, a chain reaction of pointing and screaming brought them each out of their excitement for the evening.

"Look!" Someone from the descending group yelled.

Out of the forest, a hunched over figure came. From what Katie could see it looked like a camper. It was not a monster. He was calling for help.

Many people began running over to the boy. Katie had agood guess of who he was before the others began to shout.

"It's Luke!" she heard.

"Luke! He's back!"

"He needs help! Where are the Apollo kids?"

Hearing the panic, Chiron came from the pavilion where they just had dinner. He trotted down to the scene.

"Apollo cabin, I need your top healers in the infirmary right away," he ordered, "everyone else, back to your cabins."

When back in her cabin, Katie didn't speak anyone, nor did anyone else speak to each other.

The next day seemed quieter at camp than the normal days. Everyone went around to their lessons, but all seemed to talk in whispers to each other. She knew what they were talking about of course. Luke. His return the previous night shook up the camp pretty well. They all seemed to have some sort of attachment to him. Katie was the only one who hadn't seen him. That's, of course, until she went to meet Will.

He was still the newest Apollo camper there, and did not have a lot of experience with his healing powers yet. Luke's return gave him a chance to watch others heal and learn how to use his powers.

Katie was meeting up with Will before lunch. He was in the infirmary working with Adam and Luke. She did not want to go in and interrupt any healing business but heard laughing and decided, why not introduce herself.

Before making her way inside she quickly grew blue asters. The name for asters came from the Greek word for "star"; it seemed to fit with what she had heard about Luke.

Katie took a deep breath and walked in.

She saw a group of boys around the bed closest to the door. Luke was lying on the bed while Adam took the bandage off his left bicep. He handed it to Will who was standing nearby, and took the blood soiled thing and threw it in the garbage can. Meanwhile, there were two other boys around the bed. Both talking animatedly, it sounded like they were trying to recreate some hilarious event that had happened. The boys looked similar; brown, curly, tangled hair, sly smiles, upturned eyebrows. Brothers Katie guessed.

One of them, taller than the other, turned and noticed her in the doorway.

"Looks like you have another visitor." He said.

She recognized this boy. It was the one who stared at her on her first day. Katie knew by his eyes. They were that' piercing blue that she had never seen before. She walked forward, step by step, getting closer to the group.

"These are from the Demeter cabin," she put on her best smile and placed the asters down on the table next to his bed.

"Thanks," replied the boy named Luke, "I haven't seen you around before."

Any time some one talked about Luke, it was usually one of the girls here at camp gossiping about how "absolutely gorgeous" he was. now that she was in front of him, Katie could see why they thought he was handsome. Medium length, Sandy hair and tan skin made him look like the surfer-type of boy. Not at all Katie's type, but attractive enough even with a scar along the side of his face.

"I'm Katie Gardner, Daughter of Demeter as of last week."

"Well, Luke," Adam spoke up. "Keep drinking that nectar and you should be back to normal. I will see you guys later," With a small wave he moved swiftly to the door.

""Oh, yeah," Luke muttered. "Let's see you go on a quest. There is no going back to normal."

Luckily, Adam did not hear him as he was walking out.

"Katie, I'm ready, if you wanna get going," said Will.

"Oooh, Will!" Katie turned around to see the blue-eyed boy was the one talking. "Have yourself a little girlfriend now, don't you?" he said.

Will, shook his head and grabbed Katie's elbow to lead her to the door.

"It's okay Will," the same boy said. His brother stood to the side, laughing."One day."

Katie hadn't even been properly introduced to this boy, yet already she did not like him. Will was her closest friend here and she was not going to let him go through this. She turned to face him. Trying to put the most innocent smile on her face that she could and hoping her plan would work.

"Oh, you have a girlfriend! That's so sweet! Who is she?"

His smile quickly turned into a frown. Katie's plan fell right into place, along with an evil smile.

The brother started laughing but was quickly cut off by a look from the taller twin. Luke was still lying on his mattress, he looked back and forth between Katie and the boy like it was a game of tennis.

"Good one, Gardner. Since you and Willie aren't together, maybe you should date me?"

"In your dreams," Katie responded shortly.

"Feisty," he smiled and took a step closer. "I like it."

Katie moved a step closer. Now they nose to nose.

"In your dreams."

Quickly, Katie turned around, whipping him with her hair. She grabbed the now chuckling, Will by the arm and walked out of the room. On the way, she heard Luke laughing hysterically. Another evil smile crossed Katie's face.

Once outside the Big House, Will jumped in front of Katie and stopped her in her tracks.

"That," he pointed back into the house, "was awesome."

"Not really," Katie shrugged. Will moved to the side, and they returned to walking, unsure of where they were going. "Who was that anyway? Those twin boys back there?"

"Those were the Stoll's, Travis and Conner. They're not twins. Travis is our age; he is the one you talked to. But his brother is a year younger. Nobody really stands up to them around here; you and Clarisse are the only ones I have ever seen."

Katie had met Clarisse before. She knew the daughter of Ares was not one you would want to mess with.

"Why are people so scared of them?"

"They're . . ." Will started counting on his fingers, "thieves, troublemakers, pranksters, jokers, and that fact that there are two of them helps with their cause. I could go on and on."

"He just seems like a pest to me."

"I've never seen Travis back down from a stand-off before, its interesting."

"Well, he doesn't know me at all. I just meet him. He doesn't know how to fight back against me."

"Well one thing's for sure; Travis won't forget what just happened in there. Be prepared."

* * *

I know this took a long time to get posted. sorry. now that Travis is here, we can have a lot of fun.

If you want more chapters comment! Post what you think, ideas you have, anything you want.

Sincerely- Scripted


	6. First

"Don't miss."

The whisper came from a voice right next to Katie's ear. She was at the archery range. Her arrow had been in place until the voice came and startled her. She jumped in reaction. Instinctively, she released her arrow. It zoomed through the air, and hit off target.

Katie did not have to turn around to know whose fault it was. She recognized the voice, as soon as the sound entered her ear.

"What do you want, Stoll?" Katie did not bother to look at him. She notched another arrow and took aim once more.

"Nothing, I just came to say "Hi" to my favorite daughter of Demeter,"

Katie launched her arrow. She hoped for a bulls-eye, dying to impress Travis. No, not impress him. That would mean she had some sort of wish to make him like her. She wanted to scare him.

It had been two days since Katie met Travis in the infirmary. Rumors had surfaced about the stand-off they had. Katie received pats on the back and a thumb-up from some of the people who heard. Others gave her a look of pity. They seemed in agreement with Will, that Travis was never going to let it slide. Turns out, they were right.

Those two days seemed like a lifetime to Katie. The constant bothering from him was driving her insane. And if he was not bothering her with his presence at her side, he was watching her. She would see him from across the way staring with that smug smile. Katie heard the stories of his pranking, but nothing had happened yet. She could only assume that he was planning.

She wanted to scare him. Unfortunately, Katie's arrow hit just off to the right of the bulls-eye.

"I told you not to miss. That's 0 for 2."

She turned to face him now. He stood next to her, hands in his pockets.

"What do you want, Stoll?" Katie repeated.

"You always say that. How come, I don't get a "Hey" or a "How are you today?" or even a smile?'

"Hmm, I don't know," Katie faked a tough decision. "I guess it would be because those are only things you do for people you like."

The horn signaled the end of the lesson. Katie walked forward to retrieve the arrows she shot.

"Oh, Gardner," he laughed, "deep down, I know you like me. You can't resist me."

"Watch me."

Katie left Travis standing where he was while she returned her equipment. Some of the Hephaestus kids showed her the armory, it was filled with any deadly weapon imaginable. After training for a few days Katie had found the weapon she was most comfortable with was a dagger. Now, you may be thinking, "wow I didn't think Katie was a violent person like that" and she isn't, the dagger was just what she was most comfortable with. Carrying around a big sword seemed like showing off to her. Katie was not all that talented with the sword either. She could shoot a bow and arrow but it just was not her style. The dagger seemed to be calling her name when she placed it in her grasp. It could be easily strapped to her leg and out-of-the-way so she would not have to worry about it dragging her down. Katie was quick and agile she was not one to be in the middle of a fight so the dagger did not need to help her out so much fighting, but it could be handled during emergencies.

Being honest, it wasn't much of a dagger. A worn out brown handle and a simple blade was all it was. Etched into the blade was the name _Dunamis_. One of the perks of being a half blood of Greek decent was the ability to understand the Greek language. This being said Katie knew exactly what the daggers name meant; unforeseen it power, strength, and force. The Hephaestus campers assured her that _Dunamis _had been used in the ancient Greek wars.

Katie returned her equipment to the shed nearby shed. Michael was there placing the bows on the shelf with his buddy, Lee Fletcher. She handed over the weapons to the boys, who returned her with a thank you song of embarrassment, at Kate's expense.

Michael had become big brother for all needed purposes. He had helped Katie when she got lost around camp and helped her find a weapon. He had tried once again, like that first day, to persuade her to use a bow but alas it did not work.

After returning her things, Katie walked to her next destination. Unfortunately, on her walk, she gained an unexpected visitor.

"You headed to see Willie again?" Travis asked, walking up on her right side.

"Why do you care?" Katie responded shortly.

"Oh, I don't care, just making conversation."

"Why are you following me?"

"Because I know you enjoy my presence."

"Just proves you know nothing."

"Are you always this quick?"

"Are you always this annoying?" Katie stopped in her tracks to turn to the infuriating boy. He stopped as well. The look on his face is mocking the fake look of thought Katie previously wore. "Never mind, don't answer. I already know what you are going to say, just go away." Hastily she stalked off.

Now, it was clear to Travis where, she was going. The gate to the Strawberry Fields was a few meters away.

"Okay, I will leave you alone," he stated as he reached her side again. "But just because I am a nice person, I clue you in that you may want to see what is happening to your cabin as we speak." And with that, he left her standing where she was, jaw dropped.

Turning on her heel, Katie ran. She knew this was coming, the prank was inevitable.

_Oh gods_, Katie thought, _what did he do?_ _What could he do?_

When the cabins were in sight, Katie immediately saw the crowd that had formed. She saw her cabin mates but they were not the only ones. As it was the beginning of the summer, more and more campers were coming to Camp Half-Blood. Newcomers had stopped to stare while on their way their own cabins. Olivia looked on the verge of tears. Jaz's face had morphed into its famous death glare. Riley stood his ground, face showing no emotion.

Then Katie saw it. The Demeter Cabin roof looked like a rainbow threw up on it. The grass roof was covered in rocks. Not even real ones rocks, they were the fake colored pebbles that you buy at a pet store to put in your goldfish bowl. And stuck in the stones were a hundred paper windmills of every color. Besides the roof, the entire building was covered in colored sand. Everything, the door, the garden, the porch, the windows, the flowers, all of it was covered.

Katie was going to hurt those Stoll's. Then she heard a laugh. Katie whipped her head around towards the laugh along with all the others around the building. And there they were.

Travis and Conner stood there hi-fiving and chuckling. The awestruck group stared at the boys. Katie had to refrain herself from running over and punching them both in the face. As fiercely as she could she walked over.

"Oh man," Conner said, "this was all your idea man. You deal with It." Conner ran away from the approaching Katie. Sure he did help execute the prank but it was all because of Travis and his bruised ego. Travis was the one Katie needed to yell at.

"Hey, Gardner, do you like what I did with the place."

"Clean it up, now."

"And why would I want to do that?"

"Why did you do it in the first place?"

"Because I don't lose, this is payback. And watching your reaction is fun. You get all angry and your eyebrows scrunch together. It's hilarious!"

"You know what else is hilarious?" Katie asked, moving in for the kill. "Your face, after I beat you to a pulp." Travis ran like the wind. Katie did not follow. She did not know what came over her.

Using her powers she sent her energy through the ground. The grass moved at her will. The blades grew and latched themselves to Travis's ankles causing him to face plant into the ground. He hadn't made it very far. A short walk away Katie stood over Travis.

"Are you going to clean it up now?!"

"You did not say you had powers?"

"Are you scared?"

"Of grass? Ha! You wish." Katie sent another jolt of energy through the ground, this time the grass successfully tied down Travis's hands. "Okay, okay, calm down." Katie scowled more. The blades grew tighter and tighter around Travis. Then they slacked.

Someone had snuck up behind Katie and grabbed her wrist breaking her concentration.

"Let him go Katie," Michael whispered in her ear. Trying to gain control again Katie forced her energy out. Michael was left with no choice; he lifted her off the ground and half dragged her away from the scene of the crime inside of the Demeter cabin. The bystanders left as well and the Katie's siblings followed her and Michael inside.

"Let me go Michael!" Katie shouted.

"Trust me; you will get plenty of chances to hurt that boy. Now, how long have you had powers?"

"A while," Katie mumbled. The group stared, "since before I got here, okay! I didn't know how to tell you guys."

They continued to eye her up and down, not knowing what to do. After an extremely awkward pause, Olivia, being the voice of reason, spoke up.

"Katie, I think we can all agree that you should have told us," she sat down at the edge of Katie's bed and spoke directly to her." But I can see why you wouldn't."

"Thank you! So can I go now?"

"Oh no you don't, you are not getting off the hook that easily! You need to cool down. Stay inside. I will go get the Stoll's to clean this up. Until they're done, stay here," Olivia demanded.

One by one they walked out. First Olivia, then Michael who shook his head, with disappointment or laughter, Katie could not tell, Jaz strutted away without as much as a sideways glance at Katie. Last to leave was Riley. Before he walked out he held out a fist to the girl.

"Nice job, sis," he said. Katie acknowledged the fist with a bump from her own and a smile. Then he left.

Not long after, Katie could hear the sounds of shovels on the roof. She lounged on her bed reading her book overwhelmed with the feeling of happiness. Even though she had not personally made them clean up the mess, some part of her knew that her powers had scared him. Then a voice came to her from the window next to her bed.

"You on cabin arrest now, Gardner?" the mischievous boy asked. She stood up and met Travis by the window.

"At first I was angry, being stuck in here for the rest of the day, but now I see I have a front row seat to the show. It's fun watching you tidy up the mess you made. Tell me, how does it feel to have to clean up this prank?"

"Did you just say you like to watch me work? I knew you loved me, Gardner, but that's just creepy," he taunted with a smile.

_Well that backfired_, Katie thought. Travis began laughing. Instead of letting her temper loose and sending plants after him Katie did something else. She punched Travis Stoll in the face.


	7. Decisions

It took a few days but eventually the Demeter Cabin was cleaned up and back to normal. The bickering between Katie and Travis had become normal too. After that first prank, Travis stopped following Katie around. He said he finally had gotten even and no longer had to bug her. To those who heard the story believed he was just scared of her punch. Travis was stuck with a lovely purple and blue bruise around his left eye. Now, Travis only irritated her in passing. Their conversations mostly consisted of a greeting from Travis, a witty response from Katie, some not-so-nice name calling and someone stepping in to break up the couple. It took a few weeks but eventually another prank came. Then another. Throughout that whole summer there were plenty of pranks to drive Katie crazy.

First, there was when Travis and Connor stole all Katie's things from her cabin. Slowly she started to lose her stuff. The fact that she did not have much with her at camp helped her notice when something was gone. Three other Demeter children had just come back to camp around the same time so at first Katie had assumed that some of her personal items had gotten moved when helping the others unpack. Then one day she came back before dinner and found her pillow missing. She had a good feeling of who had taken it but she would have to get creative to retrieve it. That night at dinner she found Travis Stoll sitting on it. She walked over to the Hermes table and yanked it out from under him, successfully causing him to fall off the bench. As he lay on the ground defenseless, Katie beat him with the pillow.

Then, there was the countless number of water filled buckets dumped on her head. At least three times she had found dirt covering her bed when she was about to pass out from drowsiness. Six times she was missing her gardening tools. Another occasion, the Stoll's had somehow managed to kidnap Katie during her free time before dinner and drag her out to the woods and leave her stranded there until Will and Kayla(another one of Katie's friends from the Apollo cabin) had come looking for her. She was found tied to a tree with rope and gagged. She was too drained from a day of work and had no energy (which probably made her easy to kidnap) to move the plants to her. At least she could say, her summer was never boring.

The absolute worst fight between them happened on the 4th of July.

The Fourth is one of the most exciting times around camp (the most exciting being the end of the summer party). Sword fighting, wrestling, foot races and water balloon tournaments happen throughout the day. And it all leads up to the main event at dusk. The fireworks. It's a famous couples date night. People get dressed up for a picnic on the beach. And then fireworks light up the sky. These are not just your regular fireworks, no. Not with Cabin Nine, Hephaestus' children running the show. Army size missiles float on barges in the water. The first launch startles the crowd but then everyone becomes silent as they watch the show. The lights draw spectacular images of famous demigods throughout time. Pictures of Hercules, Jason even Amelia Earhart all pictured up in the night shy.

What happened between Katie and Travis, you ask?

Katie had gone to the party with Will, Kayla Soare, and Jake Mason. The four of them had gotten closer over the past few weeks. Katie had met Kayla through Will, who was her brother. Kayla was an extremely competitive girl with the golden hair to match her siblings. She had just reached camp a few weeks earlier and still did not know many others. Like her sibling she was extremely musically talented. Somehow she could instantly give out advice. It seemed like a gift but Katie guessed it was just song lyrics that she was speaking as her own advice. Jake Mason, son of Hephaestus, was a muscular and intimidating looking guy. He had dark brown hair and was usually covered in some sort of sludge. He was scary looking to those who did not know him. Really he is a quiet, lovable and sweet teddy bear. Katie found him to be extremely loyal when it came to his friends and family. More than once Jake offered to beat up the Stoll brothers for the suffering they put Katie through.

"I think," Will told Katie one day as he walked her to the Strawberry Fields one day, "that Jake may have a little crush on you."

"You think?" Katie pondered the thought but came up empty-handed.

"Yeah I do. He gets so protective over you when you talk about what those Stoll boys did."

"He is just a good friend," Katie told him. "Are you not worried about me?"

"No, not really," he stated matter-of-factly. "Not when it comes to Travis Stoll. I know you can handle yourself. I mean, think of how many times he has done something that did not end with you either punching him or threatening to kill him or screaming harsh punishments." The pair laughed.

After that day, Will and Katie often shared an awkward glance when Jake asked about the pranks.

On the Fourth of July, the group sat on their quilt in the sand, joking around. Then _they_ came. Travis and Connor jumped out from behind a bush. The startled group jumped and reached for their weapons. Seeing as they were at a party none of them thought to bring them.

"Well, well, well," Connor said. "What do we have here?"

"Get out of here, Stoll." Katie told them. The boys did exactly the opposite they sat down on the blanket. Connor sat on the left side of Katie, between her and Kayla. Travis plopped down on Katie's right, pushing Will, who was originally there, into the sand.

"No, no," said Travis. He put his arm around Katie's shoulders. "I think we will stay for a while. The show is about to start."

Katie face filled with disgust. She shrugged off his arm.

"The only show you're going to get-"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The fireworks had begun. The sound caused Katie to jump.

"Shh…" Travis put one finger to her lips. "I will protect you."

He put his arm around her again. This time he held a firm grip on her arm. She stared at him in fury.

"Just watch the sky, and wait for the big finale," he told her.

Katie looked to her friends for help. Will sat in the sand, stone faced. Kayla scooted closer to Jake. Kayla looked like she might crack up laughing while Jake sat there obviously uncomfortable with the scene.

Then It came. The big finale Travis had talked about happened. Lit up in the sky in giant red letters the words:

KG LOVES TS 3

Laughter filled the air. Everyone on the beach turned to stare at them. The Aphrodite cabin "awed". To make matters worse, Travis still had his arm around her.

"So Katie," Travis purred, "how does it feel having that secret off your chest?"

"I am going to kill you." She shrugged his arm off.

"No, you won't."

"Yes, I will. I will kill you and then personally go to the Underworld, bargain with Hades, bring you back here, and kill you again."

Travis took the cue and ran. It was a long night. Let's just say more people watched Katie beat Travis up in the water than the rest of the fireworks.

The two had become increasingly competitive with each other. All of the times she had trained and about to complete the task only to have him swoop in and either beat Katie or cause her to start over. They would fight to be the better than the other. It brought out the great warriors in them almost as quickly as it brought out their angry sides. Capture the Flag Fridays were the worst. Somehow wherever they went they ran into each other. Some said the Fates were having fun toying with the pair. Others called it rotten luck. Whatever it was, nothing good ever came from those two being together.

* * *

"What up, Kates?"

That name took Katie out of focus. It was the name only her father called her. She was working in the Strawberry field all morning. It was nearing the end of the summer. This was going to be one of the last days to grow the strawberries for the year.

"You okay there, Gardner?" asked Travis. He bent down next to her. "You aren't yelling."

Katie came back to herself.

''What are you doing here!?" she snapped.

"Son of the God of Messengers," he pointed to himself. "Deliverer of your mail." He handed over a letter.

Katie looked it over. It was addressed to her under the name of "Kates". She set it to the side and returned to her work.

"You're not going to read it?"

"Why are you still here?"

"Making sure my client is satisfied with the delivery. Now, why won't you open it?"

"Because," an exasperated Katie through some of the dirt she was moving at the ground, "I already know what it says. He wants me to come home for the rest of the year. But I can't! How can I go home to a family that I have lived with my entire life, who also lied to me. They dropped me off in the middle of nowhere, didn't tell me anything. They just left! You wanna know why? They were scared. My powers had come through and they were worried about a reputation. Who does that to their child? They-"

"Breathe Katie," Travis cut her off in the middle of her monologue.

"I can't go back, not after what I learned here."

"Look they didn't make the best decisions."

"Do not try to change my mind. I am not going back."

"I am not saying you have to. But they are your family. Don't they deserve a response?" he picked up the letter and placed it into her hands.

Katie looked up into the mischievous blue eyes of her enemy.

"Who are you, and what have you done with Travis Stoll?" They laughed. "Seriously, why are you being so nice to me?"

"You are not the only one with family problems."

There was a comfortable silence between the two. Then Travis stood up abruptly.

"I better finish delivering the mail. I will be back later to pick up your response letter. By the way, it's great to know you're going to be here all year. You and I can have all sorts of fun." He walked before Katie could start yelling.

_This is going to be a long year_, Katie thought. She stared after his retreating figure wondering how in the world someone who was such a pain could be so sweet in moments like this. She was going to need to a make many offerings to the gods to get through another year.

Katie hurriedly, finished working in the Fields. She ran back to her cabin and pulled out the letter that was stuffed in her pocket and wrote back.

* * *

Not my best work, I'll admit.

Tell me what you think.

Inspiration: Marchin On - OneRepublic

watch?v=UHvgAJe8bvM&feature=bf_next&list=AL94UKMTqg-9Br5lbKbi1NoI0_PXoz4AxF


	8. Missing

I am so sorry this took so long. I have been extremely busy with school, exams, new classes and homework. On top of that I struggled to figure out how to write this chapter. i reread the entire Percy Jackson series. I marked and noted all of the books wit every place Katie has some sort of input. I am sorry if this chapter is a little off or confusing or boring but its necessary. So tell me what you think.

* * *

She was staying. Katie Gardner was going to stay at camp all year.

It was decided. Katie had returned her father's letter the proceeding day. She wrote that about finding out the truth and what that had done to her. She said that even though she missed them she could not return so soon. She told her father to send her love to the rest Dianne, Jess and Josh. Katie kept it short. There was just enough information to keep them aware of what was happening without raising suspicions. She did not go into detail about Camp Half-Blood or her new family and friends. She wanted to keep this side of her life private. Plus, if they knew they might be tempted to drag her out. Katie politely asked her father if he could send a few of her things up to camp. She her surprise arrival had left Katie wishing she packed more. Hopefully, her family would take the news of her stay well.

The last day of summer was a sad day in the Demeter Cabin. This was Olivia's last summer at camp. She would be attending the some small college just outside of New York. Olivia was a strong girl but everyone was still worried about her. She had been at camp for so long; none of them were sure how she would manage it. Before leaving, however, she told the group that she would not be alone. Apparently under the noses of everyone at camp, Olivia had managed to have a secret relationship.

"Adam and I have been together since July," she admitted the cabin.

"Adam? Adam Brites?" the asked Riley. Olivia nodded.

"Head counselor of Apollo Cabin, Adam Brites?" Again, Olivia nodded.

"Well," Jaz said, "this explains a lot."

"What do you mean?" asked Olivia. Now she was the confused one.

"You haven't said a word abut Luke since he came back," Jaz concluded. Olivia blushed a deep red. That girl had a crush on Luke Castellan ever since her sibling could remember. The blond leader of the Hermes cabin held the hearts of many of the girls at Camp Half-Blood.

"Well, people can change." Olivia said simply.

Katie though about what Olivia had said for a while after the conversation. "People can change". It seemed to sum up a lot of Katie's life into three small words. Those three words held so much power. They could be good or bad. You always hear that the most powerful words are "I love you". It may be true for some occasions but "I love you" is the end. They are the words you get when all else fails. "I love you" is the glue, and "people can change" is the hammer that destroys what is being held together.

Olivia was not the only one leaving. Riley was going to meet his father in Hawaii. He assured the group that he would be back for summer training next year. Riley was a strong boy and no one was scared that he would not be able to defend himself. It helped that he was going to be traveling with his father, the nature photographer, all over the world.

The Demeter triplets, who only ever stayed for the summer anyways, would be headed back to Texas. Katie had never really gotten to know the three if them. They were fraternal triplets. But just as annoying as identical. They all finished each other's sentences and only talked amongst themselves. There were two bos and one girl. Riley had tried to befriend the boys but without any luck.

That left Jaz and Katie. The two of them would be the only Demeter Children at Camp all year.

* * *

_SEPTEMBER_

The first day of September brought a new schedule for Katie. She didn't know what to expect when she decided to stay all year, but it was definitely not school. Unlike summer training, when you spent all your time with your cabin, during the regular year you spend time like any other school would, with people your own age. Every day head counselors and activity directors would lead the lessons inside different buildings. Every week, Monday through Friday, eight in the morning to three in the afternoon, the demigods would be in school.

Now, in a normal school day you are required to take classes like math, English, gym, art and history. At Camp Half-Blood instead of math you have a weaponry class where you learn about techniques and performances of using different weapons. in its place of an English class, you learned Greek. The demigods, being as they were from Greek decent, knew how to read Greek. They did not however know how to speak Greek. This class taught them how to do just that. As an alternative of a regular gym class where you play dodge ball and basketball, this was more like normal training at camp. Demigods ran mile after mile, climbed the Rockwall time and time again, and spent hours and hours practicing sparing, fighting, and defense. Art was art anywhere you go in the world. The campers would take an hour in the arts and crafts building attempting to create works that could last lifetimes and be used as offerings to the gods. The history courses were the most interesting to Katie. Every week or two they would focus on a monster, war, or other demigod who made an impact on the world. It seemed everywhere you looked the Greeks were somehow involved.

With in that first week of September Katie's father sent her some more of her things. Sometime during the day a box had been dropped off inside the Demeter cabin. That evening, Katie unpacked and reminisced about everything she missed about home.

"I used to spend all day out in front of our house during the summer," she babbled to Jaz as she had been doing for the last twenty minutes. The conversation was mostly one-sided with Jaz barely listening. She had been etching her pen furiously into her notebook. The lines grew harsher and harsher as the conversation went on, clearly indicating Jaz's annoyance. "We have these beautiful rose bushes. I'd be out there for hou-," she paused in disbelief, "-rs."

It took a moment but Jaz recognized the following silence. She looked up to see Katie slowly sinking down onto her bed. Something small was clutched in her hands, ad her draw was dropped in disbelief. Jaz groaned inwardly. Deciding to be a good sister she spoke up.

"Oh what the Gods could be wrong "oh-so-perfect" sister of mine?" she asked sarcastically without a glance up from her journal.

No response.

Jaz set her book down, pages open so she would not lose her spot. She got up from her bed and walked over to Katie's bed on the other side of the cabin.

"Okay, what's wrong? You've been talking non-stop for the last 20 minutes. What silenced you and where can I get one?"

"He did it on purpose," was all Katie said.

She held out the small object that was clutched in her hands. It was a picture in a frame. The frame was a simple, brown-molded frame, nothing special. The picture must have been what set Katie off. It was of a small family that Jaz guessed to be Katie's. There were four people sitting on a rock that overlooked a valley below.

"They're at Eagles Ridge." Katie told her. "We would go camping and hiking there every year. The weekend before school starts. It's my favorite place in the world. Dianne never seemed to like going she would always put up a fuss. Jess and Josh couldn't have cared less. But I loved it. I felt like it was the one place I could really breathe. You know? Like actually stop for a moment and breathe." She took a deep breath as if remembering the feeling. "He must have made them take this picture as a way to guilt me to come home." Katie's eyes started to mist up. "It's sad to think I missed it though. Pathetic."

Jaz grabbed the frame and flipped it over before thinking. She dug her fingers under the tabs on the back and pulled up.

"What-what are you doing?" Katie questioned her sister.

"We don't have time for sad memories here," she finished the four tabs and pulled off the backing. "Here," she handed her the picture. "im not going to take your picture. I just think that you should cover it. I don't want to here you weeping everytime you look at this on your nightstand."

Katie smiled at Jaz. As odd of a gesture as it was, it was the first real sister thing the girl had done for her.

"Thank you."

"Now, take this," Jaz handed her back the frame. "Fill it with something that you actually like. Nothing sad, please."

The corners of Katie's mouth went up, "I have just the thing."

Hurriedly, she stood up and walked around to the other side f her bed where her nightstand was. she yanked open the drawer and pulled out a notebook.

"I have had this book for about a year now," she told Jaz as she walked back to her side. "It started out as a diary from my father. When I first started having troubles in school, he wanted me to write them down instead of being angry. I also think he thought it would help with my dyslexia. Anyway, it sort of evolved from that. It's no longer just a diary. It holds anything and everything I like quotes and jokes I heard, doodles, song lyrics, pictures, movie stubs. Basically it is my life. I also hid this in there."

Katie opened the book about ten pages in. There laid a flower. A simple red rose that had been picked a preserved in the pages.

"This was the last thing I took when I left Charlotte. Don't know why I did, something just told me I wouldn't be back for a while. What do you say to compressing it and giving it a new place of honor in this frame? Is that too sad?"

"No, not at all."

* * *

_DECEMBER_

"Now you all know tomorrow morning we will be heading to Mount Olympus. So I expect you all to be awake, presentable and in your best behavior. Head counselors will need to meet at the Big House at five thirty tomorrow morning. Everyone else be there at six. Be prepared to be gone the entire day tomorrow. For now, off to bed."

With a clap of his hands, Chiron sent them on their way. His speech at dinner that evening left the crowd with an excited air. The campers who had stayed all year were surprised when they first learned they were going to be attending the Winter Solstice. It was a treat given to campers very rarely. None of them knew what to expect.

The next morning Katie was woken up by Jaz who was getting ready for her head counselor meeting.

"Come on girl get up!" she yelled. "I'm leaving in ten minutes."

Katie yawned, stretched and opened her eyes to see Jaz sitting on her bed adjusting her makeup. It was odd to see the girl in anything other than her camp clothes.

Jaz wasn't too dressed up but just enough to make it look like she may be excited to see Olympus.

"Someone looks pretty today?"

"Yeah-yeah. Better than your hair in the morning. C'mon get up, im leaving and you can't be late. Be there at six, girl, or I will kill you. "

Jaz finished getting ready in silence, only mumbling a few words to her self when she could not find her other shoe.

Katie began t get ready as well. She wore faded blue jeans, a rosy pink blouse that Olivia had given her before she left and tan boots that were "perfect for being outside working or going out", also from Olivia. Katie had braided her hair the previous night, now, when she took out the intricate plait, waves formed around her face. Katie never wore her hair down, she though it was a lousy distraction when it would fall into her face when working in the fields. While getting ready, she ended up pulling the top half back, realizing that her hair was not going to play nice today. Once she was ready, bundled up in her coat and hat with her bag over her shoulder, Katie walked to the pavilion.

Even though she was ten minutes early, the dining pavilion looked as though everyone was already there. Granted not a whole lot of campers were going on the trip, a little less than twenty plus the nine head counselors who were still at their meeting.

Katie sat down at the Demeter table and ate her breakfast cereal all alone. It was odd not to have anyone with her but Katie ate comfortably before disaster struck.

On each side of Katie, two figures ran up jumped o top of the bench she was sitting on and turned and sat on the table. They were the Stoll brothers. Not only did they startle her and knock over her bowl of cereal, whenever they showed up a scowl crossed Katie's face.

"What's up, Katie-kins?" Travis asked her. She turned away from him.

"What are you and your idiot brother doing here Connor?"

"Katie, darling," he responded, "obviously we love seeing that beautiful smile." Connor told her sarcastically. The scowling expression on Katie's face deepened.

"Kaitlin, dear, you need to lighten up," Travis told her. He poked the side of her mouth trying to turn her frown into a smile. She whacked away his hand. "OW! That hurt." He faked a sad expression only to have it disappear in a millisecond. "Come on, Kathryn, love, smile we are going to Olympus today!"

Katie stood up from the table and leaned in close to him. Looking him dead in the eye. Those mischievous sky blue eyes.

"Just because we are going to Olympus does NOT mean I am not carrying my dagger and does NOT mean I won't hurt you if you mess around. Are we clear?"

"Clear as day."

She had to look away from the eyes. It was like they were hypnotizing her.

"Connor?"

Connor was stifling laughter. "Oh, uh-yea, no funny business."

"Good," Katie ended the conversation by turning around and walking away from the boys.

"See ya later, Katrina!" one of them yelled most likely Travis.

"That's not my name!" she yelled back without a backwards glance.

Katie meet Jaz just outside of the big house. She was waiting on the wrap-a-round porch.

"How did the meeting go?"

"Fine. We have our schedules and groups and all that stuff. We have tours in the morning, then lunch, then evening festivities, whatever that means, and then we will be in the van on our way home at nine."

"Sounds good who are we with?"

"Athena Cabin, Aphrodite Cabin."

"Okay so Annabeth is going to stop us at every building and all the Aphrodite kids are going to stop us at each 'hot' minor god they see. But at least we get along with them."

"We also have the Hermes Cabin."

The group included Jaz and Katie, Annabeth(as leader of the Athena Cabin) and two of her siblings, three Aphrodite campers, and Luke Castellan, Travis, Connor and two other unclaimed kids. The day would have gone well if Travis and Connor hadn't walked off twice. Katie, knowing that they were going to cause trouble, followed them and then tried to drag them back to the group. Unfortunately, they had gotten lost, a few times. The day would have been perfect if the Aphrodite cabin did not have to flirt with every person they meet. Gods and sons of Hermes included.

It was a long day, and as the evening festivities died down all Katie wanted to do was fall asleep in her bed. She was sitting down at a small table off to the side of the dance floor. She sat with one of the Athena girls as they waited for the rest of the group. Jaz was currently trying to pull the Aphrodite campers of the dance floor. Soon everyone was there. Except for one person.

"Head-count, whose missing?" Jaz asked.

"It's Luke," Annabeth informed her. "He said he had to go check something out. He told me he would meet us at the vans."

"Okay, well then we can go."

Sure enough, once everyone was piled up into the vans, just as Argus was going to close the doors, Luke ran up and jumped in.

None of the demigods actually saw the winter solstice. They were not allowed to be with the gods during that meeting. Sure they meet a few of the minor gods but they had to leave before the actual Olympian gods came.

After driving for about five minutes, a sound caused everyone to jump. A loud BOOM! Knowing about different myths they all looked at each other. The same expression masked each and every one of their faces. The look of confusion and fear. What did it mean? They heard stories of how the winter solstice was one of the darkest times of power for the gods but this was serious. Another BOOM shook the demigods.

It was the sound of thunder.

* * *

So... what did you think? review and give me your ideas!

I also have been thinking a lot about the title of this story. "Katie Gardner" did the job t get you readers in but I think it is time for a change. So starting now, send me in reviews with a new name for this project.


	9. Surprise

It was gone. But no one had a clue about what It was.

Like the last piece to the puzzle. The campers had put together bits and pieces of information but no one knew what the answer was.

They knew that something had happened during the Solstice. Something that put all the gods on edge. Something big. Through rumors, and the Hermes cabins talent for sneaking into the Big House and listening to Chiron and Mr. D talk, the demigods knew that something was taken. But, what? They heard rumors of war starting. And that the gods were angry. But, why? They had heard talk that a child of the Big Three had been involved. But, who? After hearing the rumors, some of the demigods wanted to face Chiron and demand that he tell them what was happening (it was mostly the Ares Cabin, they wanted to be part of anything if it involved war and fighting). But they never saw him.

Mr. D never cared for the campers, when they asked him where their teacher was he would laugh, or tell them to mind their own business, or come up with some ridiculous excuse like he's getting his tail done. The demigods had assumed for some time that he had been summoned to Olympus, to discuss this war that they had heard about. After two days, they thought maybe he had a Party Ponies emergency. Some of his brethren were known to be wild. After two months, slowly the demigods became less and less worried. Not that they didn't care for their teacher, no. He had grown to be a father-like figure to most of them. But Chiron was capable of taking care of himself. And if he wanted the campers to know what was going on he would have told them. After those two months the rumors had died down as well. Of course, when you hear about an impending war it will stick in the back of your mind until that rumor was cleared. But after a while the campers began to get on with their lives.

On March 31st, Katie would be turning twelve. They only people who knew about her birthday were Jaz and Will, and Katie planned to keep it that way. She never had parties to celebrate her birthday or did anything extravagant. Now was not the time to start new traditions.

The date was now, March 21st. Katie was working on fixing up the Demeter cabin. She and Jaz had put all the ground and hanging planters in the back room for the winter. Now that it was warm enough to be outside in jeans and a sweater, Katie thought she'd better make good use of herself and clean up the cabin. Katie also though that it might lighten up Jaz's mood when she returned from organizing the tool shed in the Strawberry Field.

With fresh dirt, and bulbs planted in the pots she started to place them around the cabin. In front of the porch, Katie stood on the old ladder that she had got from behind the cabin. She held on to the top stair and tried to reach the hook to hang her plant, but was too short. She stepped up another stair and reached. Again, she was too far away to hang up the plant. Katie was stuck. She could not step up any more stairs without tipping the entire ladder over. But she could not reach the hook without letting go of the ladder anyway.

_C'mon, Katie,_ she told herself. _Don't be a coward. You're what?_ _Three, four feet from the ground? If you fall, so what? A few bruises never hurt anyone. _

She let go of the ladder and reached over. Still too far she extended her arm as far as she could. For more reach her right leg came up. For a second, she thought she was going to fall. Then someone came.

"You need someone to steady that ladder," the voice said. She felt the ladder touch back down on solid ground as the person talked.

"I almost have it," whether she was talking to herself or the mysterious person behind her, Katie was unsure of. With a last reach she got the hook to latch and the pot was secure. She turned around to see who her helper was. She saw the smiling scarred face of Luke Castellan. It used to be, Katie couldn't help but smile when she saw him. He reminded her of Olivia, and how giddy and love struck she used to get around him. Now she couldn't help but try to see the changes in him that Olivia had seen. Katie had not known Luke before his quest so she had nothing to compare him to and quickly gave up.

"Oh, hey, Luke," she told him. "Thanks for the help. " Katie worked her way down the ladder and continued to speak. "That could have been a nasty fall. My flowers would've been ruined."

"Of course, doesn't want to hurt the flowers but when it comes to me, she will beat me to a pulp." A sarcastic Travis Stoll walked out from behind his older brother, causing Katie to groan.

"Gods! What do you want?" she asked him.

"Son of the God of Messengers, remember?" Travis told her. A tone of bitterness dripped from his voice. "I have your mail, 'Kates'."

'Kates', it was her father's nickname for her again. Part of Katie thought that Travis was giving her some sort of warning about the letter by calling her that. The other part, the rational part, knew he was doing it to bug her. She decided to tease back. She reached out for the letter that was in his extended arm.

"What, are you on probation or something? Why do you have a chaperone? " Katie smiled.

Travis opened his mouth and looked as though he had a snippy answer. But to Katie's surprise Luke answered.

"It seems as though our Travis here, along with his brother, has been less than courteous to those who are receiving our deliveries. So I am accompanying them on the deliveries for the next few days until I am sure they can handle it."

Katie laughed.

"Well, I agree with the less than courteous part though he is like that to me all the time. But where is Connor?" she asked the boys.

"Oh, Connor is sick; he came down with a cold of some sort." Luke informed her.

Katie looked at Travis who was shaking his head and mumbling something like, "Lying sack of hellhound dung". Katie laughed.

"I'm sure he is," she responded sarcastically. She put the letter into her jacket pocket. "I guess I will see you guys later, then."

"Aren't you going to open the letter?" Luke asked.

"Nah, it's just a birthday card from my dad. He doesn't even have the right date."

"Whoa, wait a sec. When's your birthday?" Travis smiled like this news changed his entire outlook for the day.

How could she have let that slip? Travis was exactly the person she did not want to know it was her birthday. Knowing him, she knew he would plan some ridiculous prank on her.

"That's none of your concern," she told him shortly. Walking into the cabin she left the sons of Hermes standing at the bottom of the porch.

"Don't worry I will figure it out."

Starting the next morning, Katie knew just how much trouble she was in. She woke up the next day to Jaz's screaming. The entire Demeter cabin was covered in feathers and balloons.

"STOLL!" she screamed.

Katie didn't even bother to get dressed. She put her hiking boots on and stormed out of Cabin Four. It was both a blessing and a curse that the Hermes Cabin, Cabin Eleven, was on the completely opposite side of the courtyard. Not even caring about the cold or the stares that the other campers were throwing at her, Katie walked into the Hermes Cabin. Never having been in any cabin other than her own, the Hermes Cabin was a surprise. Even in the regular year the cabin was full of Demigods. Unlike the Demeter Cabin, where every camper could have their own bed and they still had extras, here bunks lined the walls so close it was a miracle someone could walk between them. Belongings of the different campers were scattered all over the floor it was no wonder why they always failed cabin inspection.

She could have spent an hour looking for the Stoll's in that place, luckily, Travis made the job easy.

"Happy Birthday, Gardner!" he shouted from the bottom bunk of a bed in the middle of the room. Katie made her way over to him. He was in a lounging position on his bed when she found him. "Did you enjoy your surprise this morning?"

"It's not my Birthday, you moron."

"Really? Are you sure about that?"

"I think I know when my Birthday is."

"Did you hear that Connor? Today is not Gardner's Birthday," he said sarcastically.

From behind Katie, Connor spoke. She was unsure of when he snuck up behind her.

"Well, you know what that means, brother?"

"Yep! I guess we have to will just have to try again tomorrow." The most evil smile crossed his face. It was the most infuriating thing Katie had ever seen. It caused her to act on impulse.

She threw the blankets off of Travis's bed. Katie reached over and grabbed him by the tip of his ear. Pinching on the cartilage in his ear, she dragged him out of his bed.

"Jeez, Katie, you just can't keep your hands off of me can you?" everyone laughed but she just pinched tighter.

Connor stood next to Katie laughing. Not wanting him to get away either, she grabbed his ear as well. The entire Hermes Cabin laughed as the boys were pulled out of the cabin. Their embarrassment heightened when they were pulled through the courtyard by the daughter of Demeter, then into her cabin.

"Clean it up."

"But it's such a lovely birthday surprise. Why would you want to get rid of it?"

"Now," Katie flashed them the famous "don't mess with me" look and they began cleaning up instantly.

The Stoll brothers finished cleaning the Demeter Cabin before breakfast started, but as they promised this was not the last of their pranks. Every day that week they managed to give Katie a new "birthday present", every day up to the thirtieth. As if somehow those boys knew, probably by sneaking into the big house and checking the records, Katie woke up to a perfectly calm cabin. However, it was obvious that they had been there. Taped to her headboard she found a balloon and two slips of paper.

They were the fake coupons; they looked like the kind that kids usually gave to their parents for Mother's or Father's Day. The first one read, "one free slap Connor in the face coupon," someone, most likely Connor, crossed out the his name and wrote Travis in its place. The second one read, "One free slap Travis in the face coupon". Like the first, someone had edited this coupon as well. Instead of "slap" someone had written "kiss".

As stupid as the slips of paper were, Katie laughed. They might actually come in handy one day, she thought to herself. The slaps, not the kiss, she shuddered at the thought. Those Stoll boys had actually managed to do something kinda-ish sweet in a really messed up way for once.

Katie's day only got better from there on. March thirtieth landed on a Friday this year, so it was the last day of classes for the week which only added to her happiness for that day. No one made a big deal out of the day just as she wanted it to be. If she was being honest with herself, the campers weren't ignoring her birthday for Katie's benefit. Chiron had been MIA a total of three months now. His absence had put everybody on edge. Even if they didn't admit it, some of them missed him. Though it was a sad reality, the distraction helped Katie. Her day had been just as normal as always, minus the marauding brothers.

The next day went just as well as its preceding.

Calm.

It was nice. Not normal, and kind of odd for Camp to be an eerie calm like this, but still nice. The Stoll's were missing yet another day. Katie looked over from the Demeter Table in the dining Pavilion to the overcrowded Hermes Table. Just as she expected they were still gone. Have the Gods finally got my message, Katie laughed to herself. No, they aren't that nice.

"Missing the crazy twins, are we?" the voice brought Katie out of her train of thought. She realized that she was still staring at the Hermes campers searching for the boy with the blue eyes.

"No, no," she replied. Katie looked across the table to find Jaz staring at her with a all-knowing smile. "I am curious though. So you know where they've been for the past two days?"

"No, but shouldn't you?" she asked.

"Why would I know?"

"I saw that kissing note. You two have that cute little crush thing going on."

"What!" Katie was unsure whether to laugh at her half-sister or throw something at her. "Eww! Me and Travis Stoll? That's disgusting. I hate him and he hates me."

"One day you will see how alike the two of you are."

"Not in this lifetime."

"Hm-mm, we'll see."

The next morning Katie woke up to the sound of screaming. Surprisingly, it was not her own. She looked to Jaz who had also heard the yells and had gotten up. Both of them stood up and walked out of their cabin onto the front porch to survey the damage. Their jaws dropped when they saw the destruction.

The Ares Cabin was completely covered in pink bows and missing the boar's head that usually hung above the door frame. The head had been moved from its spot on the Ares Cabin and now held the place of honor on the Aphrodite Cabin (which explained the girlish shrieks). The Athena Cabin was trying to save the battle plans and blueprints that had been hung up like Himalayan flags around the outside of the building. From where Katie stood she could see Annabeth running around like a crazy girl to save the precious papers. But that was just the beginning. Something had occurred during the night that affected every cabin. Each seemed to have been a victim of a personal prank.

Prank. That was it. That is where the boys have been for the past two days. Those Stoll's had been planning this. But why? And if they had done something terrible to everyone why did the Demeter Cabin look perfectly fine?

Katie and Jaz stepped down the stairs to investigate the extent of the damage to their home. The roof grass was still green, the building still a fading brown, the weathered porch still creaked, the vines all in place, the flowers… The flowers were all still there but they looked odd. Katie walked forward and bent down to inspect. She did not need to be within three feet to know what she would find. She could not smell the sweetness of the plants anymore and even from a distance she could see the small threads. The flowers had been replaced with fakes. _Her _flowers were missing. They had been taken and replaced with fakes! Travis Stoll had stolen her flowers. And Travis Stoll was going to pay.

* * *

Two months later and Katie was finally fishing her punishment. Kitchen duty for two months seemed kind of ridiculous for a punishment. The Stoll brothers had replaced her flowers with fakes. In defense and anger she may have attacked them. But she was sure that the Ares cabin would have done worse. So what that she threatened him with Dunamis. So what if she may have cut Travis' hair with her blade. He really needed a haircut anyways! And it was growing back now. Two months later it looked exactly as it did before she cut it. And he seemed completely okay with it anyway. The whole time he was laughing at Katie and saying "Happy April Fool's Day." That's all it was to him. Just an April fool's Day joke. But still, Katie was punished.

Now it was the beginning of June. The beginning of the summer. But surely once Campers were trickling in slowly but surely once their school years were done. Even Chiron came back.

He officially announced his return at dinner one night. He apologized to all the campers for his unexpected absence. When someone shouted out a question asking him where he went, he simply waved his hand and told them he was doing business for Mt. Olympus. Knowing they were not going to get a straight answer the questions stopped. Chiron announced plans for the new summer session and then started to procession down to the amphitheatre for the bonfire.

The Apollo Cabin lead the sing-a-long as usual. There was a ceremony to announce the official start to the summer camp training season. Cabin head counselors were announced along with some of the new teachers. Everyone sang along and gossiped for the hour-long party. The summer-only demigods were surprised to hear the stories from the winter solstice. They were clued into the fact that something was missing. No one knew what it was yet. They needed to find out soon though. Another bonfire similar to this would happen again in a few weeks for the summer solstice. If what was gone was not found nothing good would happen this summer.

The night ended with the campers all in high spirits. They were together with their families and ready to work hard.

The boundary lines of Camp Half-Blood are magical and do not allow the weather to affect what happens inside unless it is necessary. That night there was an unusual rainless thunderstorm. Thunder boomed like freight trucks crashing on a highway. It reminded those year-rounder's of what had happened after their night in Manhattan but different. It was an ominous noise that only meant something bad was happening somewhere nearby. And none of them were prepared to just how difficult their lives were about to get.

* * *

In the morning news spread like wildfire, mostly because the Apollo and Aphrodite Cabins like to do joint sunrise yoga, and both of them are the biggest gossips of the entire camp. They heard to news from nymphs and dryads who had but the first witnesses to the attack last night. The satyrs knew, of course, because one of their own had been involved. A little satyr named Grover. Katie had never meet Grover but knew him well enough from reputation. He was the one who had brought Annabeth and Luke to camp a few years back. He had also led another girl by the name of Thalia. At the top of Half-Blood Hill the group had been attacked and Zeus, Thalia's father, had turned her into the tall pine tree. It was hard to believe she was now a pine tree but when Jaz (who had taught her about all sorts of different plants over the winter) told her the story they went to the tree itself and Katie's "Demeter senses" for plants proved that the story was in fact true. Thalia was a surprise to everyone. She was never supposed to have been born. The Big Three: Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades, were not supposed to have kids anymore. They made a pact. And Zeus had broken it by being Thalia's father. This story was legend around Camp. It was like Olympus' own soap opera.

Michael had come over to share the news of last night's discovery with Katie, Jaz, and the newly returned Riley before breakfast.

"There was an attack just outside of Camp last night," he said.

"Yeah, yeah, tell me something I don't know," Jaz returned.

"I'm getting there, hold your centaurs. Grover apparently lost the kid he was assigned to protect. The boy ran off with his mom or something like that. And then when Grover went to get this kid and his mom and bring him to camp they were attacked, by the Minotaur."

"The Minotaur? Like from the Labyrinth?" Katie questioned. Sometimes this new lifestyle that she had chosen still shocked her.

"Yeah, rumor is he has the horn to prove it."

"Whoa! He's still alive?!" they looked at each other in amazement.

"Yeah, he is in the infirmary now. Annabeth Chase is with him. You know her; she thinks everyone to cross the border is her ticket out on a quest. The thing is everybody seems to think that he might have something to do with the mess that is happening from up on Olympus."

"Do you?" Katie asked her protector, "Do you think he's part of it?"

"I just he's lucky. But sometimes the best hero's are nothing special and just really, really lucky. We will have to wait until he wakes up and gets out of Chiron's protection in the Big House. Then we'll know what he's made of. "

* * *

This chapter took way too long and i have no excuses for you. I know I rambled on for a bit there in the middle and I was extremely tempted to make Katie's birthday a side- shot but i kept it in anyway. So we are finally getting into the good parts. hopefully a little more action too. i have all the parts from the books that Katie was in or could have potentially been in marked up and ready to be written. Im going to try and stick to the books as much as possible. Hopefully i will have a new chapter up for you guys soon.

review please even if you usually don't here are some things you could say.

1. I still am looking for new title names.

2. Do you have a favorite part of the PJatO series you want me to write in

3. Are you liking the story so far?.

4. Is the Tratie suspense killing you yet?


	10. New

Rumors flooded the camp within the first few hours of the day. The mysterious new kid who had somehow managed the miracle of killing the Minotaur was making headlines in the small camp. The poor kid was going to have a lot of explaining to do when he woke up. Very few had seen the boy. Annabeth who had taken the role of caretaker over him took over as soon as the new Apollo Cabin leader, Lee Fletcher was done. Lee, who was a good friend and brother of Michael's, had been the main leaker of rumors. According to him, the camper was some small kid who had probably just gotten lucky.

Grover, the boys protector, was nowhere to be seen, and could not be attacked for information.

Katie saw the new kid while he was in the infirmary. Well, she saw his head. He was sleeping when she got there. Katie had made a habit of bringing anyone who was in the infirmary flowers. She put them on a base on the stand next to their bed. Most of the time, the patients never took any notice and simply thought they were decoration. Occasionally she would get a thank you, but it did not bother her. It felt good to make the world beautiful when someone who was injured opened their eyes. This boy looked exhausted. When Katie was in there he did not stir one wink. His inky-black hair was a mess and he had drooled all over the pillow. He slept like the dead. He was around Katie's age though Katie was most likely taller than him. Michael was right he didn't look like much of anything.

It wasn't until after lunch that they got a real glance at the new kid. He came out of the Big House with Chiron at his side. This was more surprising. Chiron, giving personal tours? Uncalled for. Never been done before. Maybe he felt bad. It was rumored that the boy lost his mother in the Minotaur battle. Maybe it was sympathy?

Katie sat barefoot in the Strawberry fields picking berries with the rest of her cabin and the Aphrodite Cabin who was joining them for the hour. Most of them were afraid to get their perfectly manicured hands dirty so they were absolutely no help. Riley returned with an empty basket to where Katie was sitting to help.

"Hey, you're back," Katie said. "We are going to need another hour to pick berries. Aphrodite's kids never help out as it is and with this heat they aren't lifting a pretty little finger." She rambled on for a while about the laziness perfectionists that were supposed to be helping before realizing that Riley wasn't listening at all. She looked up to her big brother from her spot on the ground. He was staring off at the two figures coming through the fields. Katie stood up next to him. She took this moment to fix her hair that had fallen out of its ponytail. She moved the pieces off of her sweaty forehead. Raising her hands above her head her orange Camp Half-Blood shirt had come up in the process.

"Is that him?" Riley asked.

"Looks like the guy I saw in the infirmary, just less messy." Katie pulled down her shirt.

"They were right. He is too small to take on the Minotaur."

"He's kinda cute though," Katie admitted. He looked like he could be twelve or thirteen. His black hair was still disheveled and his bright sea-green eyes shifted, looking around the grounds as if something else might pop out of the trees. Thin by Camp Half-Blood standards. He carried around the Minotaur horn. Some would have thought that he was showing off but really that was his only possession. The poor boy came here with nothing.

"So what, you think he the Minotaur went easy on him because the girls would cry if his face got messed up?" Riley gagged.

"I'm just saying . . . he's good looking. Aphrodite Cabin is going to eat him up."

"Sounds like you might, too." Riley looked disgusted. This conversation had taken a turn for the nauseating and revolting side. "Do me a favor and don't start dating until I'm gone, okay, please. I don't think I could take it."

Katie had always wanted an older brother to look after her and ever since arriving at camp a year ago she had gotten three half siblings and made plenty of friends that she was sure would look after and protect her because she knew she would do the same for them. Riley was definitely fitting into the new big brother spot, so was Michael, her "protector".

"I'm not making any promises," she teased.

* * *

His stroll through the Strawberry fields was not the only time they heard of this new boy that June day. After Chiron, he was seen finishing the tour of Camp with Annabeth. He also made a splash by drenching the Ares cabin over by the bathrooms. Clarisse was the one person at camp that you did not want to make enemies with (besides the Stoll's, but they would be a close second) especially on your first day. And soaking her with toilet water was definitely not the way to make a good first impression.

His entrance into the mess hall with the Hermes Cabin and the rest of the unclaimed gained him stares and pointed fingers and mumbles from every other cabin that was already sitting down.

The campers food arrived and then they each took turns giving their offerings to the gods. Katie at first though this ritual was odd but after being at camp for a year it would have been odd not to sacrifice some part. They group continued to eat and chat. Everyone in the pavilion was either talking about the new guy or the Capture the Flag game that had been announced earlier that would be happening later that week. The sound of a hoof pounding on the ground caught everyone's attention and they all looked up to the head table.

"Yes, I suppose I'd better say hello to you brats," Mr. D sighed. "Well, hello. Our activities director, Chiron, says the next Capture the Flag is Friday. Cabin five presently holds the laurels."

The Ares table roared. It was a normal cheerful yell and clap, it was more like a war cry, Katie thought.

"Personally, I couldn't care less, but congratulations. Also I should tell you that we have a new camper today. Peter Johnson." Chiron turned and whispered something to the God. "Er, Percy Jackson. That's right. Hurrah, and all that. Now run along to your silly little campfire. Go on." He waved us off.

So that was his name. It was a good thing Mr. D had made an announcement. Otherwise everyone would have called him "new guy." Percy Jackson. Well at least his name had heroic origins.

The campfire passed as it typically did. Apollo Cabin led the sing along. Katie sat by the rest of the Demeter Cabin. The triplets had returned that afternoon but as usual stuck to themselves. Riley and Katie both took their normal spots on either side of Jaz tying to get her to sing and dance along. As accustomed she would get annoyed with the two of them for embarrassing her and would pound her feet and walk to the back of the amphitheatre. The next two days also passed as common as any other day at Camp Half-Blood. Though now people were paying more attention to the Hermes Cabin and more importantly Percy Jackson. People seemed to be placing him everywhere trying to figure out where the new demigod belonged. All week it remained a mystery.

Friday night. The night of Capture the Flag. The Demeter Cabin had allied themselves with the laurel holding Ares Cabin, Dionysus, Aphrodite, and Hephaestus. The five groups generally got along well. If they really wanted to win no one would have picked the Aphrodite cabin because they were not all that aggressive. But Jaz mostly agreed to join this alliance because she knew from previous experience that Katie and Travis would somehow end up fighting if they were told to work together.

The two teams meet together just outside of the forest. Chiron was waiting by two tables to deliver the usual instructions.

"Heroes! You know the rules," he shouted. "The creek is the boundary line. The entire forest is fair game. All magical items are allowed. The banner must be prominently displayed, and have no more than two guards. Prisoners may be disarmed, but not bound or gagged. No killing or maiming allowed. I will serve as referee and a battlefield medic. Arm yourselves!"

The table on either side of Chiron suddenly filled with weapons, protection, and equipment. Each table was filled with the same things. The right side was stocked for the red team and the other for the blue. Being on the red team Katie moved toward the right.

Being small, quick, and good with nature, she would be one the red teams scouts but she stocked up with everything like everyone else so the blue team would not know where she would be. After the starting horn she would stash it under a bush. _Dunamis_ would offer her protection, strapped to her hip. The Demeter cabin followed the Ares kids who were throwing taunts at the blue team. They made their way into the north woods. Clarisse sent Katie's friend, Jake Mason and his sibling Charles Beckendorf to hide the flag and then stand as guards. Every other Hephaestus kid was paired up with a Demeter kid and were placed all over the north woods to watch out for intruders. The two Dionysus boys' were on jail patrol. That left the Aphrodite offspring who never really did much. Silena Beauregard, the leader and most involved person from the Aphrodite cabin, was the other scout. Nobody ever really thought she would capture the flag but anyone who stopped her would have to deal with her flirt and would instantly become distracted from the game. The only people left were Clarisse's henchmen. They were on some sort of "special mission". Katie knew they were going to have revenge plotted against Percy Jackson for the incident in the bathrooms but no one tried to stop their leader.

With their orders fresh in their minds, the red team took positions. Katie had begun to take off her armor when she heard the conch horn blow. She took off at a brisk walk, staying as close to trees as she could. Already she was near the border so her next move would be to cross. All Katie needed to do was wait for the right moment. She heard a roar from a ways down the creek, no doubt the Ares Cabin and their "special mission." Katie saw the warrior in the blue plume that had been across from her run to the noise leaving a wide gap. Deftly she made her way across the creek into enemy territory. Katie turned her head towards the noise and smiled at her good fortune. Just as quick as her smile came she ran into something. Her nature senses told her it was not a tree, so someone had collided with her. She was falling to the ground and so was this person. They landed with a thud and Katie's head began pounding she was immediately regretting taking off her helmet. He had landed on top of her. Through the blue plumed helmet she could see the piercing ice blue eyes that Katie would recognize anywhere.

She groaned. Why'd it have to be him who caught her? The devastated look on her face made the assaulter smile.

Katie began to raise her hands to her head that was now hammering. He stopped her by using his own hands to lock her wrists to the ground. The only thing separating them was his breast-plate. Knowing it was no use to try to fight it she clenched her eyes closed and knit her eyebrows together praying to the gods, willing the pain away.

"No, Katie, you're not dreaming. I really am here." He taunted obviously misinterpreting her pain.

Without opening her eyes she responded. "Any dream of mine that you are in, Stoll, is a nightmare."

"Of course, I'm the knight in shining armor that saves you from the horrible monster!"

"No, you're the monster." A smile played on her lips and Katie opened her eyes.

"I guess I will have to be happy with that for now. As long as I know you're thinking about me."

Was he flirting? Did he just admit to liking Katie? It wasn't exactly a reassuring thing that Katie wanted to hear. But she decided to channel her inner Aphrodite and Athena to get herself out of this mess. She thought of every sappy Nicholas Sparks movie she had ever seen to help her out.

Katie looked deep into Travis' eyes and slowly moved into his face. She felt his body stiffen and his eyes began to search, panicking. His hands loosened just a bit around her wrists and she made her move.

Katie pushed all her weight and strength forward and flipped him over so she had the upper hand. Their positions had changes. She backed off just a bit, ready to run off in search of the flag again. However, he still held her wrists.

"That's means Kay. Are you sure you're not a child of Aphrodite?" Travis asked her. He didn't look to upset with the situation though.

"Yup, I'm just underestimated." From far away, more cheering came through the forest, the sound of victory. Someone had won the game, but whom?

Katie turned her head to the noise. She could have sworn she heard Travis mumble "never" under her. Ignoring this, she squinted into the distance and saw a red flag charging toward her across the creek.

"Oh, Hades," she had lost the game.

Travis took her sudden distraction to his advantage and pulled the same move she did before. The two rolled to the side and Katie was under Travis, again.

"Don't get distracted now, Katie, dear."

Luke was running across the creek with red flag in hand. Watching his back, behind luke, were some Apollo kids. They ran past the pair who was lying on the ground. Two of them stopped.

"Need any help there Katie? I do have my protector duties." It was Michael.

"No I got this." She kneed him. Travis rolled over. Once Katie was free and jumped up fast, successfully giving herself a head rush. Michael and the other Apollo camper who Katie guessed to be Kayla, Katie's other friend, laughed at the pair.

"Gods, Katie! Are you sure you're not the monster in those nightmares?!" he yelled at her. Katie joined in on her friends laughter. As they walked to where the teams had gathered.

Chiron had met the two teams by the creek and blew the conch horn. The blue team had won. Usually Katie would be bitter about losing but with Travis' pain still in her mind she smiled. She couldn't help but think about what would have happened if that almost kiss they had, had turned into an actual kiss? It was a new thought for Katie. She shook it out of her head.

The group of three had reached the river with Travis trailing closely behind Katie.

When they arrived they saw Percy Jackson yelling at Annabeth, something about "being pulverized." No one was really paying attention to them. There was a lot of yelling for revenge and trading chore jobs. then the sound of a howl echoed through the forest. The demigods were immediately on edge. All cheering stopped.

In Greek, Chiron shouted, "Stand ready! My bow!"

Katie drew her dagger and backed up to get into place. As she took a step back Travis took a step closer to her. His sword drawn and his face nervous.

"Katie, where's your armor?" his face was scared. He didn't wait for an answer before taking a step to stand directly in front of her. Not wanting his protection Katie turned around to guard his back.

A large "THRUMMP!" made every camper gasp, on top of the pile of rocks on the edge of the creek stood a large hellhound. The monster was the size of a minivan with burning blood-red eyes and fangs that could tear anything placed upon them. The hound stood directly above where Percy was standing and stared down the new kid. Annabeth yelled for Percy to run but he stood just as motionless as everyone else. Because of that Annabeth made a move to stand in front of him. The creature jumped over her and knocked down the boy. Defenseless, Percy laid on the rocky shore of the creek completely helpless to the monster clawing at his armor. The metal was ripped to shreds and just when the hellhound had destroyed it all a series of arrows was shot from all angles into the hound killing him in an instantly. Thank the gods the monster had fallen to the side and not on top of Percy. Everyone was quiet. The only noises were the one of the Apollo medics tryng to bring supplies to the wounded Percy and Chiron's hooves trotting over to the boy.

"That's a hellhound from the Fields of Punishment. They don't . . . they're not supposed to . . ." Annabeth send amazed. She was talking specifically to Chiro but everyone listened to the conversation wanting to know what was going on.

"Someone summoned it," Chiron responded, "someone inside the Camp."

"It's all Percy's fault! Percy summoned it!" Clarisse yelled. This was a ridiculous accusation. First, Percy had been with the rest of the group that had included Clarisse the entire time. Second, Percy had only been at Camp for less than a week. If he had learned how send for a hellhound then someone must have taught him in those few days. And everyone has watched him to see what he would become. There was absolutely no way Percy could have summoned the monster from the Underworld.

"Be quiet child," Chiron told her, watching the hellhound disappear into the ground.

"You're wounded. Quick, Percy, into the water." Annabeth demanded. Percy tried to tell her he was alright. "No, you're not. Chiron, watch this."

Again, he tried to argue but with more campers closing in, Percy felt pressured and slowly backed up into the water. Instantly, his wounds began to heal themselves.

"Holy styx, that's awesome!" Katie heard Travis mumble next to her.

The water was healing Percy's body. It was something no one at camp had ever seen before but that was not all. Most campers were amazed the first few times they saw a claiming. The magical feeling they felt would wear away after two or three. But they were all seeing a different symbol this time. Something none of them but Chiron had ever seen except for in books. A glowing green, three-pronged trident rotated above Percy Jackson's head.

"It is determined," Chiron announced.

Every camper, satyr, and wood nymph shared the same grieved face as they knelt to the demigod.

"My father?" Percy asked Chiron.

"Poseidon," Chiron answered. "Earthshaker, Stormbringer, Father of Horses. Hail Perseus Jackson, Son of the Sea God."

Each person who was kneeling stood up and raised their weapons in silence.

The new kid was a Son of the Big Three.

* * *

So, how have you guys been? It has been a while. Is the story gtting good?

Thank you for readign and reviewing! It makes e so happy to see how much you enjoy my crazy imagination.

I need to remember to thank the man himself! Mr. Rick Riordan, the creater of this magical world. All rights go to you!

sincerely- scripted


	11. Brewing

Katie had never seen a child of the Big Three. In fact, not a lot of people at Camp had ever seen one. Never in the last hundred years at camp has that powerful of a demigod been a camper. There was the camper Thalia, she was a daughter of Zeus, but she had turned into a tree before actually making it to Camp, so technically she was not a camper. The only people who had ever known her were Annabeth, Luke and Grover. Children of the Big Three were said to be more powerful than any other demigods. This was a scary thought for the small Katie Gardner. When campers found out about her powers, she was considered to be the most powerful that the Demeter Cabin had seen in a while. She knew how terrified some were of others who had power. And she had power of plants! A child of the Big Three, Zeus, Poseidon, Hades: control over air, sea, and the dead. That sort of power was crazy. It was no question why they had made an oath. But now that oath was broken.

Poseidon had broken that oath. And now Percy Jackson stood in front of them.

Everyone watched him in amazement. They had tried to solve the mystery of his father all week but no one had expected this. With all the chaos happening on Olympus already with the theft a child of the Big Three was fueling the flame.

After the eventful game of Capture the Flag, campers returned wordlessly to their cabins. Not another whisper was spoken all night. The only noise was that of the echo of the crashing waves along Long Island Sound.

The morning came and Percy Jackson was moved into Cabin Three. The demigods watched out the windows of their cabins as Chiron led the boy from Cabin Eleven, at one end of the courtyard, to Cabin Three on the other side. It should have been a crime how Percy Jackson was treated after that fateful night. It seemed no one wanted to press their luck by standing in a ten foot radius of him. Most people were scared that another monster would somehow manage to break through the Camp half-Blood borders again if Percy stayed here. The only people who seemed to be okay with Percy were Luke and Annabeth. They had already known a powerful demigod, Thalia. Luke trained with Percy in the sword arena. They were the best at the camp. Annabeth taught Percy Greek. She never had a problem with the real teaching but she always seemed to be preoccupied in her thoughts. Not uncommon for the daughter of Athena.

Another two day past and the worst storm yet was brewing. It came in the middle of the night, thunder clapped and the shingles on the cabins shook with it. There was no rain, yet. You could see it coming. Over the Sound the clouds had turned a deep, dark and inky, blue-grey color and the weather temperature had gone down a steep fifteen degrees in one night. That was the morning Percy Jackson was summoned into the Big House.

No one knew what was going to happen to the new guy, but he wasn't supposed to be alive so any result would be dire.

He was in the Big house for only an hour and a half, but to the demigods secretly watching it seemed like all day. Soon he came out with Grover and Annabeth on either side of him. Annabeth seemed pleased for the first time in weeks. She nearly skipped down the hill to her Cabin. Grover sauntered off into forest. And Percy walked solemnly to his Cabin. Normal Camp activities were in full swing, so of course, as Camp regulations go, they gossiped.

"Do you think they're going to kick him out?", "Why was Annabeth there?", "He was Grover's kid, they always have the worst luck.", "Percy stopped at the camp store, said he was going on a quest.", "What?! He's going to be eaten alive.", "Better go say our goodbyes now.".

If Percy was being allowed out of Camp after a week of training, on a quest no less, things must have been bad. No one had been on a quest since Luke came back. His return shook up the demigods and the counselors so much that no one has been given a prophecy since.

Katie and Will had gotten back into their usual routine of sitting together during free period, just as they had last summer. With the storm looming over head both were terrified of sitting down on the beach. They knew the storm would not hurt them but just as a precaution the sat on one of the benches around the hearth in the middle of the courtyard. The hearth was always lit in honor of the gods.. The day was gloomy but not cold so the fire was not necessary for heat nor did it give any off. Will and Katie sat down and soon after were joined by Jake Mason and Kayla Soare, they're other friends, who sat on the bench just opposite theirs. Not usually ones for gossip, the group brought together pieces of information that they knew to try and figure out what on Earth was happening.

"I heard they got a quest," Kayla offered. Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she sat on the edge of her seat.

"Then it should be no surprise that Annabeth's with him," said Will. "She's been dying to get out of her and test herself. I know I want to."

"How could Chiron let him leave? He's going to get hurt. All of them are," worried Katie. She sat Indian style to the left Will on the small seat.

"Chiron cares about the campers," Will assured her. "He wouldn't let them leave unless he knew they'd be okay."

"Oooo-r" a voice came from Katie's left, "he's desperate." The voice was no other than that of Travis Stoll. Katie's body went rigid. They had not seen each other since that night in the woods. They had been in a rather awkward position and Katie still had not resolved those feelings.

As if sensing her discomfort, of course he sat next to her, pushing Will to the edge of the seat. Travis put his arm on the back of the seat, around Katie. He put his feet up on the edge of the hearth. His brother was nowhere to be seen. Not wanting Travis or anyone else n the area to figure out the mental debate she was having about her feelings, Katie put on a brave face and decided to treat Travis as the usual annoying prick that he is.

Will, who had been pushed off the seat, went to sit on the bench between the two that were already in use, spoke first.

"What do you know about this Stoll?" he asked.

"Well, my sources told me-"

"You mean you and your brother spied?" spit out Jake, who was maybe the one person who disliked the Stoll's more than Katie.

"Why do you always have to assume the worst Jake?" Travis mocked. "Anyway, I know what is really going on. This whole thing started on the Winter Solstice. Remember? We heard the Thunder, and everything has been so messed up since then. We heard about the theft and no one really knew what it was stolen. . . "Everyone nodded. "It was Zeus' lightning bolt. The Master bolt? You know the one you always see on the old Greek Vases and scrolls and all that other junk."

"Are you serious, Stoll? Something like that can't just be stolen." Kayla's eyes were wide.

"Would I lie to you, Soare? Of course, this is for real! And now Percy Jackson is on a quest to get the bolt back. The only problem is Zeus thinks he stole it!"

"That's ridiculous!" Katie shouted, astonished.

"I know! We all know that I am the best Demigod thief and I wasn't even an option for possible suspects!" Katie elbowed him in the ribs. He groaned in response and removed his arm from its placement on the bench. "Hades, Kates! I was only joking."

"You can't joke about something like that. Percy Jackson is being accused of something he obviously couldn't have done and now his life is in danger."

"Sorry-sorry, shouldn't have said anything."

As they were talking, a group started to converge on Half-Blood Hill. They saw Percy Jackson walk out of his cabin, passed where they sat. Annabeth was being escorted to the Hill by the rest of her cabin. The camp van had been brought out. The trio was leaving and this was the goodbye precession.

"C'mon I wanna watch!" Kayla jumped up. Will followed behind her out of the circle. Jake and Katie stood up at the same time ready to follow. Travis stood up and to a place between them. He guided Katie away from Jake. The son of Hephaestus looked as though he was going to follow but stayed on the path he was on.

"How come the new kid gets all the fun?" Travis joked.

"Are you a little jealous, Travis?"

"Maybe I am," he told her. this was not the answer Katie was expecting from the usually 'too cool for school' Travis Stoll.

"Why does everyone want to go test themselves? Isn't it enough just to train? Last I heard life threatening situations were never fun!" Katie was flabbergasted. She worried about all the campers constantly. People were always getting hurt. She knew because she would bring flowers to the infirmary.

"What? You never wonder if this training at camp is really worth it. If you're any good in the real world?" Katie shook her head.

"No, not really, I'm usually trying to save myself from you and your brother and stupid pranks." He just laughed.

"Not me. I've been her just as long as Annabeth, I know what she is feeling. The need to get out. It's like being on house arrest, being stuck here."

"I think you just like the rush of causing trouble," Katie suggested. They had made it to the edge of the group of demigods now.

"My dad is the god of thieves and my mom was a police officer, trouble is in my blood." He shrugged.  
"Was?" Katie asked referring to the mention of his mother. Travis and Connor did not have a family to live with over the year, that's why they lived at camp. Travis had mentioned family problems before to her, but never went into too many details.

"Yeah, she was a cop," he looked Katie in the eye when he spoke. Katie could tell something bad had happened. She wanted to apologize for asking but before she could he was walking away. She wanted to follow but her feet were planted to the ground. Unable to move she stared after him. Travis didn't want to talk about it. He would tell her if he really wanted to. Right?

They waved goodbye to the trio and shouted out advice and 'good lucks'. And with that they were gone.

* * *

Ten days.

That's all they had. Ten days to get to the underworld.

At camp, the daily activities went on as usual but everyone was worried about the young group of demigods that went on such a daring quest. The only information received on their location was from the local news station. The campers had heard about the incident at the St. Louis Arch. It was amazing to see that they had gone so far but terrifying to hear what was happening to them.

Katie had meet up with Travis again over the course of those days. She scolded him for ruining her strawberries when the Hermes Cabin was helping out in the fields. She yelled at him and his brother for messing around when they painted the porch of the Demeter Cabin Pink. But that was it. She never got to apologize for what was said.

On the tenth day of their absence, the summer solstice, a calm frustration flooded the camp. This was the last day of the quest. They would either fail or succeed tonight. Usually, camp would celebrate this day by having a free training day followed by a bonfire at night. Today was no different. Demigods meandered around picking training activities to do with their friends. You couldn't miss the nervous edge in crowds. No one had heard a placement on the trio since the accident in St. Louis. And tension was rising.

There was still no word of them by the time of the campfire that night. Chiron watched from the outskirts of the bonfire. He didn't seem at all worried that Camp was still missing three campers. Apollo Cabin led the sing along. The Solstice was a celebration so the Campfire went longer than usual. Second by second. Campers tried to look happy. By the end of the night everyone should have been in high spirits. But everyone was thinking about the threats of war looming over their heads, they couldn't celebrate. Not until their friends were back.

* * *

There is a tradition that when someone returns from a quest alive they be treated as heroes to a feast.

This was no different when Percy, Annabeth and Grover returned to Camp Half-Blood. They returned the day after the Solstice. There was a collective sigh of relief when they crossed that boundary line and strutted into the dining pavilion during lunch. Their return rejuvenated the camp in an instant. Even Clarisse and the Ares Cabin, who had been worried about the three (though they refused to admit it), joined in the cheers.

Training for the rest of the day was cancelled. And the feast was just as good as legends told the campers. Percy and Annabeth wore laurel wreaths, created between the teamwork of the Aphrodite and Demeter Cabins, to a feast of gargantuan proportions. It would have feed three entire cities and still had leftovers for a month. They then got to lead the procession down to the bonfire where they got to burn their burial shrouds. Apollo Cabin led the sing-along again but this was now backed with much more enthusiasm from the demigods than the night before. S'mores were handed out to the campers and extras seemed to be stashed in the back pockets of the Hermes siblings.

After that night, the rest of the summer was pretty boring for the young Katie Gardner.

Not even the fourth of July fireworks extravaganza lived up to that celebration. Katie decided she was going to spend the day hanging out with her cabin for the usual competitions. They didn't win much more than the foot race and that was only because Katie caused some roots to mysteriously sprout up from the ground and trip a very angry Michael Yew. She spent the rest of her night with Will, Kayla, and Jake. Unlike the previous year, there was no surprise appearance from the Stoll brothers. Katie could only explain it as one word.

Relaxing.

Of course she knew they were up to something and that she would not be free from them for long but the night was still peaceful. Or as peaceful as a beach full of kids could be on the fourth of July.

Over the summer, Katie also received more and more letters from her dad. None of these she returned. None of these she opened. She did not want to listen to the pleas. Katie had a new family at Camp and was too stubborn to go back. By the end of the season she still had not answered one of them. a simple paragraph would be sent to North Carolina stating that she would not be returning would be all they get. And by the last day of the summer session she still had not sent it. It was tucked in her journal. Stowed away in her bedside table.

Katie thought about them on that last day of the summer while walking around the fields. She thought of what her father would look like right now. How her step-mom would react. How her half-siblings were doing and if they still thought about her at all. What if she ever did decide to go back? Katie didn't think she ever could face it, but what if? She was reaching the end of the row of strawberries when she heard something approaching. Instinctively she reached for _dunamis, who was, as usual, attached to her hip. She heard a curse and felt a hand on her back. In one swift movement she turned around towards the assailant and put her pointed her dagger at his throat._

"Travis!" she yelled. "By now you should know better than to sneak up on a person unarmed. What do you want?" He was gasping for breath trying to return his heart rate to normal. The brown mess of hair on his head was windblown backwards from running and his fist was clutched to his chest.

"Why are all you Demeter kids so crazy?" Travis asked. Katie shrugged.

"It's a talent. Now what do you want?"

"Here," he grunted, pulling out a piece of paper out of his back pocket. It was a letter from the Big House. Katie had received the same one last year. All it said was the directions she needed to take to inform the counselors of her plans for the year. Katie took the paper and pocketed it.

"Thanks," she told him. She looked back at the boy who was still groaning. Something had happened to his hand and he was intent on holding it to his torso. "Now, what did you do?"

Embarrassed, Travis looked down at the ground and held up his hands a little too innocently. His entire left hand was covered in small yet prominent thorns. Katie shook her head and tried not to laugh.

"C'mon," she told him with a nod of her head.

They headed to the end of the field to the garage sized shed that held all the gardening tools and supplies. He followed her willingly not exactly sure what she was going to do. They made their way inside and to the back. The back wall had a counter top with an industrial sized sink. Behind it were windows that faced out into the forest. Above those windows were shelves of flower pots that looked like they would fall any minute. The entire room was filled with shelving like a gardening store but in some odd way felt cozy.

Katie brought a stool up to the edge of the counter in front of the sink. With her back to the windows she used her arms to hoist herself up onto the concrete slab. She sat Indian style facing the sink.

"Well, c'mon," Katie laughed. "I can't get those thorns out with you standing way back there."

Travis, who up to this moment did not know what Katie was planning, stepped out of the shadows of the walls and sat on the stool. He rested his arm against the edge of the sink and placed his left hand in the center. Katie turned on the cold water. Travis winced at the sensation of the water hitting his prickled hand.

"Don't be such a baby," she reprimanded him. "Here." Katie grabbed his left hand and gently placed it under the running water. She used her fingertips to softly push out the thorns. Both sides enjoyed the contact much more than they would like to admit. Completely aware of his eyes on her face, she didn't look at him.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" he asked her. The truth was it just seemed like the right thing to do for Katie.

"You know you're not so bad when you're not being an absolute jerk?"

"Oh, thanks." He answered sarcastically.

"I'm serious; if you didn't mess around with me so much I might actually like you."

"Wow, did Katie Gard-"

Knowing exactly where this was going, and trying to stop the blush from extending past her neck, Katie cut him off.

"I can't get them out they're too small, I'm going to have to grow them," she looked up to see the suddenly slacked face of Travis and laughed. "Don't be scared. Just bit bigger. Look I'm even holding your hand."

Knowing she would need to be gentle. She put all her concentration on them palm of Travis' hand. Her left hand holding from below and the fingertips of her right resting on top she sent her power into his palm. The small thorns slowly enlarged. Then the hand between her two was gone.

"Damn it, Katie!" Travis screamed. He stumbled backwards off the stool. His left hand clutched tightly again to his chest. Katie moved sideways so her feet dangled off the edge of the countertop. "I change my mind I don't want the thorns out."

"I told you, don't be such a baby. Now come over here." she waved her hand towards herself. He slowly began to move toward her. Travis hesitated but eventually gave over his hand again. "If you don't like the pain maybe you should stop messing around. How'd you do this to yourself anyways?"

"You think I did this to myself! This is from your cabin. I was trying to find you to give you that letter and a thorn-bush monster attacked me!" Katie stifled laughter.

"Wait! The thorn-bush is in front of the windows. Why were you climbing in the window?" Katie's face filled with shock and fear. She dropped his hand into the sink while he continued the story.

"I was making my usual rounds with the deliveries and I came up on your cabin. I was going to give it to your cabin mates but the only person there was Jaz."

"So?"

"She's scary. . . I didn't want to talk to her. she was messing around in that notebook of hers and I thought I would be nice and not distract her. So I went to the window. I'm usually too stealthy to be caught, but she caught me midway through the window. I tried to jump back out and landed on the thorns. That sister of yours is pure evil because she sent those thorns on me like the hounds. I couldn't even explain myself to her. They just kept sinking into my skin. So I ran for it. I knew there was only one other place you would be so I came to the fields. All of you Demeter kids are crazy. Was it necessary to send killer plants? I can take it from you but not when someone has such a sadistic smile on their face. I truly think she found enjoyment from my pain."

_You'd be surprised_, Katie thought.

"Well, that's Jaz for you," she looked down to the badly hurt hand again. "Is she really that scary though?"

"I can only think of one thing scarier."

"What? A manitcore? Clarisse with Lamer?" Katie giggled. She knew the Stoll's had many bad encounters with the weapon.

"You."

Katie could feel her face start to burn. She hadn't been expecting that answer. Never at camp was she good at the training activities nor did she want to be. Being a death machine like some kids there were striving for was never her goal. Instead of looking up she focused her eyes on his hand. The thorns were now large enough to be taken out with her fingers.

"Good." She told him. With a quick pull of her fingers, out came one of the thorns followed by a girlish screech.

"I'm never underestimating the power of plants again. Why is such a small prick so painful!?"

"Just don't think about the pain." She said it as if it was simple.

After a two more winces of pain on Travis' part, he spoke up.

"So . . . are you going home for the winter?"

Katie pulled out another thorn rather harshly at his words.

"You know I'm not."

"Yeah, I know. You're too stubborn to forgive." Another harsh thorn pulled.

"Maybe, I just can't face the people who didn't love me."

"They do. You just can't see what's right in front of you."

"They left me here!"

"You don't let yourself forgive them. Maybe if you did . . . I know if I had the chance to . . ."

The pair didn't talk for another five minutes. Travis stared idly out the window while Katie bent over working to heal his hand. When she was finished, the thorns lay in a small pile next to her leg. Travis' hand was red but free of thorns.

"There you go," Katie told him. She handed over his hand and turned on the cold water for him to wash it out. Katie jumped off the counter and rested her back against it. Travis took his eyes off the woods and looked at her.

"Thank you," he said. He ran his hands under the water to try and shake out the sting.

"Go to Will. He'll wrap up you r hand so it doesn't get infected."

"Why do I think that Willie would be more likely to help if you were with me?" he asked. Katie allowed herself to laugh. There was no getting by the fact that Will had a hard time trusting Travis. Travis chuckled as well.

"Katie, do you see that?"

"See what?"

"Right in front of you . . ."

Travis! I don't want to talk about my family anymore-"

"Not that, that!" Travis pointed out the window. Emerging from the forest was the body of a boy. He was being carried by two struggling nymphs. "Is that Percy?"

"OH MY GODS!" Katie screamed.

Travis and Katie ran to the front of the shed and out the door. Travis made his way over to the now green Percy Jackson. Katie ran across the clearing to the archery range. There she found Chiron and the Apollo campers. It was good fortune that they were all in the same place. Between gulps of air and hand gestures she informed them of the situation. The group took off at lightning speed to where Travis and Percy were.

* * *

Katie sat anxiously on the edge of the steps to the Demeter Cabin. After finding Percy, all the campers were sent to their cabins until further notice. Nobody was fooling around with pit scorpions.

This time in the small room gave the Demeter siblings time to say they're goodbyes. The triplets were already gone and on their way back to Texas or wherever the Hades they were from. They never talked to Katie much so she never knew much more than their names. The winter arrangements for the Cabin would be taking a one eighty from the previous year. Jaz would be following in Olivia's footsteps and going off to school she would be leaving in the next week but after hearing the news Riley was anxious for her to leave so he could take control. He would be staying all year, or most of the year. His Father was on a large photo shoot for National Geographic, touring the unexplored and underprivileged destinations around the world. Being in a new country every week was a lot of moving around and Riley really just wanted to stay in one place for longer than three months. Of course they would be meeting up for holidays and Riley would travel then, but for now he was fine where he was.

Jaz and Riley were inside to collect some of Jaz's things into boxes when Katie stepped out.

She was watching the clouds when she suddenly saw movement out of the corner of her eye.

She saw the bodies of Connor and Travis Stoll sneaking behind the Athena Cabin. Curiosity won over Chiron's orders and she followed them. She followed them up until they rounded the corner at the Big House, then she lost them. but they did not lose her. from behind the pair snuck up on either side.

"If you're going to sneak around after us, Gardner, you're going to have to be quieter than that, " Connor told her.

"What are you guys doing?" she asked them.

"Follow us."

Katie obeyed. She followed the two to the side of the building. They ducked down to not be seen through the windows. Katie knew what was on the other side of those window panes. It was the large room where she spent her first night at camp. The infirmary. Some careless person had decided to leave the window open. This was a bad choice on their part because it allowed Travis, Connor and Katie to hear what was going on inside.

From hearing the voices, Katie knew Percy was inside with Chiron and Annabeth. The three mischief-makers paid attention to the entire story from Percy's point of view of what happened earlier that day. When they found out the truth they were astonished. Luke had been the cause of the mess! Everything went back to him. This was a giant blow to Travis and Connor who had always looked up to their older brother. And then to hear he was starting a war with Kronos? The storm that had begun to develop at the beginning of summer was his entire fault and it wasn't over. A war was brewing now.

The three sat in a stunned silence not moving. They heard Chiron leave and then Annabeth. Connor was the first to get up. He looked at the other two like he wanted to speak but couldn't he ran off towards the cabins. Katie couldn't take her eyes of Travis' hand. It was bandaged now. He took her advice. Then Travis broke the silence.

"You might have some explaining to do. I told Willie that I saved your life. and I fell on the thorns trying to do it. And you were so happy that you agreed to marry me. So being your best friend, it was his duty to help me out."

Katie tried to laugh but it came out as a choke.

"Is there really going to be a war?" she asked him.

"I guess so. . ." he told her sincerely. "Does it change your mind at all? The war? Do you want to leave here yet?"

The girl looked astonished. Her jaw dropped with a loud pop.

"No way! I can't leave all of humanity to be saved by you. No, I'm not going anywhere. Not when there is a war starting."

* * *

Yell at me all you want. I know its been a while and I am in trouble. I have been busy busy busy lately.

Anyway, how did this chapter go? I was going to post it yesterday but then came bak to Tratie-fy it. and added a lot of more moments. were they too much? tell m what you think . . .


	12. Poison

Two things Katie learned over that year.

First, protection is a sneaky thing. You can be protected from the worst possible things and never know it. Then, when that barrier is gone and all hell breaks loose, you desperately want that wall that you never took notice to back. It was your lifeline and you never realized it. Now that you are fighting to live through the night, you feel privileged that you had it there for so long. Protection can mean anything or anyone.

Second, preparation is a tricky thing. You can train to fight and be good in a class but nothing is the same in the real world. Nothing can truly prepare a person for near death situations. And you can only prepare for what you know could happen. What you know to be the truth. If you don't know what exactly you are fighting against you are never 100% prepared for the future.

The fall and winter were relatively calm at Camp Half-Blood for a storm of impending doom heading their way. Schooling went on as normal. The older campers knew all or most of what had occurred at the end of the summer with Percy and Luke. Others knew enough about the trouble to know the future was grim. The youngest campers, most of who were in transit from camp orphanages where they would stay until they were pre-teens then come back to camp, had no idea. And the plan was to keep them in the dark. It was no use to drag small children into the godly mess.

Winter passed in a slow, snowy haze. No one dared to suggest a trip to Olympus for the Solstice. Riley was in Paris meeting up with his father for the holidays so Katie spent Christmas alone in her cabin. the next morning she woke up covered in Christmas tinsel courtesy of the Stoll's. She returned their gift with a good slap in the face for each and a stern yell. Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day both passed, even Katie's Birthday passed before their camp was shook up once more.

May. That's when changes in the camp became noticable. It happened in the middle of the night. But no alarm sounded. Only two were aware of the breaching. Argus, the head of security at Camp Half-Blood had been on guard, as he is most nights. He saw someone or something approaching the boundary on the far side.

* * *

"Katie!"

Katie was lying dead as a rock in her bed. Not that she wasn't a morning person; she could deal with mornings just fine. But when someone woke her up, that was a different story. Everyone in the Demeter Cabin knew this.

"Kate! Get up," Riley urged.

Grouchy, the girl peeked open one eye just enough to read the clock next to her bed.

"What Riley? I still have a half an hour till the alarm," she asked annoyed by her brother.

"Chiron summoned us. Now get up already!"

At this news, Katie jumped out of bed. Chiron summoning someone to the Cabin was a big deal. The fact that it was both Katie and Riley made it a bigger deal. And it was a meeting before breakfast. That pushed it over the edge. Suddenly feeling rushed, Katie ran around to her trunk to get out her clothes for the day. She ran off to the bathroom to get ready. Once dressed in jeans and her Penn state sweatshirt ( a gift from Olivia), she meet Riley in the main room . Together they walked to the Big House. Neither of them knew what they were going to be met with.

Riley led her into the rec room. He told her this is where they held the counselor meetings. The room was a simple square. An obnoixous, green ping-pong table took up most of the space in the center. Chairs were along either side and small arcade games lined the walls. This was the first time Katie had ever been in this room of the large house. It seemed silly that this was where an important meeting was going to be held. Not thirty seconds after the two sat down along the ping-pong table more feet shuffled into the room. Seven more campers entered. All of them had the same glowing skin and sunlit blond hair. Apollo campers. Among them she saw Michael Yew and Lee Fletcher flanking a tall boy. The tall boy had taken over after Adam left. Katie also recognized Will behind them. Three girls stood in the back of the group. The campers seemed just as lost as unaware of why they were here as Katie and Riley. All of them took a seat on the opposite side of the green ping-pong table. Then Chiron walked in followed by Argus.

"Good Morning," Chiron said. The look on his face was grim giving the demigods the impression that it was indeed not a good morning. "Glad to see you are all here. Now I am sure you are wondering why I stole you from slumber. I am sorry to report that we," he waved between himself and Argus, "as well as the other campers are in need of your services."

The demigods continued to stare at the centaur.

"Last night, the boundary line was breached by a monster." He waved his hand to calm down the kids who opened their mouths to gap. "No alarm sounded. No one was hurt. Argus was able to fight it off. But upon further notice we saw that Thalia's Tree was not okay. It is what has kept the monsters out for years. Her spirit. It looks like she has been poisoned." Uproar threatened to come out of the camper's mouths but was once again held off by Chiron's wrinkled hand. "That's why you have all been called here. I will tell the others of what has happened at breakfast but after that you two cabins are excused from the day's classes. Hopefully using your knowledge of medicine," he pointed to the Apollo Cabin, "and your knowledge of agriculture," Chiron gestured to Katie and Riley, "we can save her."

Chiron's eyes were pleading, obviously scared for Camp. The demigods nodded their head. They too would do whatever it took to protect the camp. Chiron on gave them more information on the tree itself, the curse put upon Thalia's crossing of the border, then dismissed them to breakfast.

* * *

Three weeks passed. Three incredibly long, hot weeks of arduous work. And nothing happened. Neither the Apollo Cabin nor the Demeter Cabin made any headway. They were stuck. Rooted in place by the tree and the girl she was. The breaches in security worsened. Every few days some new creature crossed the line. The monsters became nastier and nastier each time.

And they weren't the only ones who knew. The longer it took to find a cure, the more agitated demigods and the Gods became. The Gods didn't seem to care that the boundary was broken and that the demigods were in trouble, they wanted someone or something to blame the event on. And that someone was Chiron.

Mr. D put the blame on the Camp Activity Director to get the other gods off his back. He fired Argus, the head of security as well saying he should have known and protected the borders.

By Monday a new monster crossed the borders into Camp Half-Blood. His name was Tantalus.


End file.
